When a virtual success is a real failure: Learning from the enabling change and innovation webinar series

Abstract

The Enabling change and innovation webinar series commenced in 2012. While initially targeting 30 FutureBeef extension officers, it was expanded to include anyone interested in the topic. It eventually attracted over 2000 people from 38 countries. Twentytwo webinars were delivered, receiving 6739 registrations of which 3152 (48%) attended live and the webinar recordings received over 60,000 views. A post-event survey cumulatively collected 1255 responses. The results indicated that the attendees found it relatively easy to join (average rating 9.4/10), use the audio (9.4) and interact (9.1). Attendees’ knowledge levels moved from 4.7 to 7.2, a cumulative change of 25%. Very few FutureBeef staff actually attended the webinars, so the webinar series concluded in 2016, as it was deemed a low priority activity. So no matter how apparently successful an activity might be, it must still achieve the initial aims of the funder to be deemed a success.