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I first got involved with the Materials Research Society as a symposium organizer 12 years ago. It was a great way for an early-career researcher to get experience in organizing meetings, and I now chair the meetings committee, where I help to coordinate the work of MRS staff and the organizing team to put on large events with 5,000–6,000 attendees from around the world.
Conference technologies including mobile apps are also a great way to disseminate information and collect feedback from attendees. We have explored the use of apps on smartphones to provide real-time feedback and solicit questions during a presentation or conference session to enhance engagement.
Sometimes feedback is unclear or contradictory. At one conference in 2016, we switched from a physical poster-presentation session to electronic ones. Attendees had to scroll through the electronic poster database. They looked only at posters in their research fields, and told us they missed those ‘surprise’ findings from walking randomly around a poster hall getting coffee and having quick chats.
Biogate Scientific Centre is a start-up that aims to bring together leaders in academia and industry during scientific events. But for attendees who register to speak and promote their products or brands, and who tend to care more about airtime and networking outcomes, we might ask ‘Was the time allocated sufficient?’ or ‘Were you able to interact with potential clients?’
Tip: No matter what form of survey is used, it will work better if it's brief, specific, & includes some space at the end for a note so the writer may freely compliment, or comment on their personal experiences.