ATD GREATER BOSTON
LEARNING MANAGEMENT SIG PRESENTS:
Gathering Insights: Collecting Quality Training Evaluation Data with Focus Groups
with Sheila B. Robinson
August 14, 2026
2:30 to 3:30 PM
Virtual event - link in registration email
How can you collect deep insights from training participants (and others) to support your surveys or other training evaluation data? Try focus groups! Focus groups offer the opportunity to go deeper and add detail and variety to a dataset – much more than would be obtainable with surveys alone. A focus group is essentially a group interview or small group discussion during which a moderator asks questions in an interactive group setting where participants are encouraged to talk with each other as well as with the moderator. They offer a great way to gather in-depth information about participants’ thoughts, feelings, experiences, or opinions on a specific topic.
In this session, attendees will learn:
- How to set up and prepare for focus groups and what to expect before, during, and after focus group sessions.
- How to invite and encourage focus group participants to share their stories.
- How focus groups can be used to both develop surveys and to corroborate survey data.
Our Guest - Sheila B. Robinson
Sheila B. Robinson, Ed.D. is a teaching and learning expert with over 30 years’ experience in education, professional development, and training. As founder of Custom Professional Learning, LLC, she helps coaches, consultants, and business owners transform their expertise into high-quality workshops and courses. A trusted speaker, author, and educator, Sheila has taught graduate courses at the University of Rochester and is the author of two books: Designing Quality Survey Questions 2nd Ed. (©2024, SAGE Publications), and Professional Development Program Evaluation for the Win (©2020, Frontline Education). She is a Certified Presentation Expert (CPE)™, and past President of the Presentation Guild. Sheila also facilitates workshops on course creation, program evaluation, survey design, presentation design, and data visualization, always with the goal of helping people reach, teach, connect, and share knowledge in ways that truly make an impact.
Refund Policy
A full refund will be issued if the cancellation request is made on or before fourteen calendar days before the scheduled event.
WEBSITE PHOTO/VIDEO RELEASE AUTHORIZATION
In consideration of my position as an attendee/member of the Association for Talent Development Greater Boston (ATD GB), I agree with ATD GB’s unrestricted right/permission to take, use, re-use, publish and re-publish photographic, video/audio content including, in whole or in part, all media now and hereafter known for illustration, promotion, training, exhibition, advertising in connection with ATD GB and its initiatives. I expect ATD GB to use the content professionally, but waive any right to inspect or approve the finished product/products, advertising copy or other matter that may be used in connection therewith or the use to which it may be applied. I hereby certify that I am fully competent and of full legal age and have the right to execute this release with ATD GB.
ATD Greater Boston has been pre-approved by the ATD Certification Institute to offer educational programs that can be used towards initial eligibility and recertification of the Certified Professional in Talent Development (CPTD) and Associate Professional in Talent Development (APTD) credentials. This program qualifies for a maximum of 1 points.
ATD Capabilities - Evaluating Impact, Impacting Organizational Capability
