Building an event competency checklist
Someone will take a post, and the open question is whether they have done something like it.
The short answer
A competency checklist lists, for each post, the skills it needs and the evidence you have seen that a named person has them. It stops willingness being mistaken for ability. It also shows which posts need a trained person, a supplier or a briefing first.
It records what you have seen and asked for; who is qualified for regulated work is decided by the responsible party.
Split the skills into three groups
| Group | Examples | Who defines the requirement |
|---|---|---|
| Ordinary event skills | Using a registration list, managing a queue, speaking to delegates, keeping time, calm under questions | You, from your role descriptions |
| Equipment and system skills | Operating a registration system, a projector or a clicker, using a radio | The supplier or system owner, who can say what a person must be shown |
| Regulated or safety-related skills | First aid, fire marshal duties, food handling, working at height, rigging, driving a vehicle | The venue, the relevant authority or the responsible party; you ask what is required and ask to see evidence |
How to fill the checklist
- List the posts from the staffing plan.
- For each, list the skills in the three groups. Write Not needed where that is true.
- For each named person, record what you have seen: past experience at the same kind of post, a short practical check, or a completed briefing.
- Where a regulated skill is required, ask the responsible party what proof is accepted. Record what was shown to you, not your own judgement of it.
- Mark each post as Ready, Ready after briefing, or Needs someone else.
What counts as evidence
- A short practical check: the person does the task while someone watches.
- Experience at the same post in an earlier event, confirmed by someone who saw it.
- A completed briefing from the supplier or system owner.
- A document shown to you by the person, where the responsible party has said that document is what they require. You note that you saw it, not that it is valid.
What to do with a gap
If someone is not yet ready, you can brief them, pair them with an experienced person, move them to a post that fits, or buy in a supplier. The capacity gap estimator separates specialist gaps from ordinary hours, which makes the choice clearer.
Do not lower the standard because the date is close. Move the person or the post, not the requirement.
Pitfalls
- Treating volunteer goodwill as competence.
- Writing a checklist item that names a regulation you have not read. Ask the responsible party to say what applies.
- Using the checklist to rank people. It matches people to posts.
- Not keeping the record, so the same check is repeated every event.
Worked example · Fictional example
Competency check for a two-room seminar
Fictional organisation and details. Skills and ratings are hypothetical.
A fictional association checks four posts before its seminar, using the checklist with its three skill groups.
| Post | Skills needed | Evidence seen | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Registration desk | Registration list, queue handling, polite handling of exceptions | Officer A ran it last year; Volunteer 1 passed a 10-minute practical check | Ready |
| Room door and cue | Radio use, cue timing | Volunteer 2 shown the radio by the technician | Ready after briefing |
| First-aid post | Regulated: requirement set by venue and responsible party | Venue says what is required; no volunteer has shown evidence | Needs someone else |
| Green room host | Calm with speakers, knows the programme | Officer C hosted at two previous events | Ready |
Use this yourself
Competency checklist
Copy this into a sheet. One row per post and person. The evidence column must say what you saw or what was shown to you, not an opinion.
- Mark every regulated skill with who defines the requirement.
- Add the date you saw the evidence.
- Set a status of Ready, Ready after briefing, or Needs someone else for each post.
| Post | Skill needed | Skill group | Person | Evidence seen and date | Defined by | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Handle it in-house, or bring in help?
Your team can usually handle this when
- Posts are ordinary event tasks that your team has done before.
- Equipment and system skills are covered by short briefings from the supplier.
- Someone can keep the record up to date.
Outside planning help earns its fee when
- Posts involve regulated or safety-related tasks and nobody on the team can say who defines the requirement.
- You are mixing volunteers, supplier crews and staff, and cannot say who has been checked.
- Several committee members disagree about who is ready for which post.
Need posts matched to the right people?
If you are unsure who is ready for which post, a project lead can build the competency checklist with you, ask the venue and suppliers what proof specialist posts need, and arrange briefings or cover where someone is not yet ready. The responsible party, not the project lead, decides whether a person meets a regulated requirement. Share your brief on WhatsApp and we will reply with which level of support fits and what it would cover.
Questions organisers ask
Does the checklist certify anyone?
No. It records what you have seen and asked for. Whether a person meets a regulated or safety requirement is for the responsible party to say.
Which posts usually need a specialist or supplier?
Ask the venue and the relevant authority. First aid, fire safety roles, food handling, rigging and driving are typical candidates. The requirement depends on your event and venue, so confirm rather than assume.
Can a volunteer be trained for a post on the day?
For ordinary event tasks, a short briefing and say-back may be enough (see volunteer briefing). For regulated or safety tasks, ask the responsible party what is needed and arrange cover if it cannot be met.
Related resources
Content record: Written by the EventConsultant team to our editorial rules. Sources are listed on pages that rely on them.