Judging: a comprehensive guide
When it comes to how successful an awards programme is, quality judges are as pivotal as quality entries. The right judging panel, full of industry experts with relevant experience, will ensure a fair and rigorous assessment process, adding credibility to your awards and enhancing your reputation.
But how do you decide who should be part of your perfect line up, how do you go about recruiting them and - most importantly - how do you make their scoring journey as smooth as possible? Read on for our top tips for putting together the ideal judging panel.
What makes a good judge?
Think about the kind of people you want to be on the judging panel - you’ll be looking for prominent industry experts and influencers, the thought leaders who really know what they’re talking about, and are respected in their field.
You’ll also want to make sure that the judges will add kudos and credibility to your awards, so a thorough background check is advisable.
The best judging panels are made up of a mixture of people from varied backgrounds with a broad range of experience; that way, you’ll ensure that the evaluation process is inclusive and comprehensive.
How to find the right judges
Professional organisations, industry bodies and membership associations are a great starting point to find suitable people.
Previous winners of your awards make ideal judges.
Judges from past seasons could also be considered - you don’t necessarily have to start from scratch every year.
Lean into your network - spread the word among your contacts and ask for recommendations.
Always ask more people than you need, as even if potential judges say yes, they may well pull out nearer the time if work commitments get the better of them!
Prepare your pitch - be ready to tell your judges all about the benefits to them of being on your judging panel.
How to keep your judges happy
Judges are busy people, so the best way to keep them happy is to have a straightforward, user-friendly system in place from the get-go - oh hello, AwardStage!
Provide clear and concise instructions so that they're aware of expectations from the outset. Devise a set of well-defined criteria to make judging as simple and seamless as possible.
Communicate deadlines well in advance, and send your judges regular prompts. A system that gives judges remote access means they can complete their evaluations at a time and place to suit them.
Organise entries so that your judges aren’t overwhelmed; consider screening submissions so that they aren’t faced with substandard entries that don’t meet the basic criteria. You could also sort entries into categories, or by geographical location, and assign certain judges to specific categories, to ensure your judges have a manageable workload.
Make it worth their while - publicise your judges’ involvement, namecheck them on your social feeds, and provide opportunities for them to network with one another.
Ask them for feedback - judges are well placed to help you improve the process for next time, so take the opportunity to gather their input.
Making the judging process simple and stress-free for your judges will, in the end, make life easier for you as an awards manager. If you’d like to find out how AwardStage can provide a polished, pain-free experience for your judges (and you!) get in touch with us - we’d love to hear from you!
