Survey
A questionnaire with the same questions for many people, designed to measure in numbers how many think, do or prefer something.
What it’s for
It answers how much and how many: how many people have a problem, how often and in which groups.
Key elements
One question, one idea
If a question asks two things at once, you won’t know which one people answered.
In their words
Terms the respondent understands, not the team’s.
Who answers matters
The sample decides what you can conclude.
How it’s done
Define what to measure. Which decision depends on the answer.
Write and test. Test the questionnaire with a few people before sending it.
Send and analyze. Count, compare groups and read carefully.
Applications in design
When to use it
After researching with a few people, to find out how many share what you found.
Avoid
Asking about what they will do in the future (“would you use it?”): what people say they will do isn’t what they later do.
Don’t fall for it
Test the questionnaire first: one ambiguous question spoils all its answers.
Connections
Authors and works
- 2014
Don A. Dillman, Jolene D. Smyth and Leah Melani Christian
Updated the tailored design method: fitting questions, contacts and format to each survey to get more responses with fewer errors.
- 1978
Don A. Dillman
Set out a method for designing mail and telephone surveys that attended to every detail to get more responses.
Sources
Original sources
- Dillman, D. A. (1978). Mail and telephone surveys: The total design method. Wiley.
Secondary sources
- Dillman, D. A., Smyth, J. D., & Christian, L. M. (2014). Internet, phone, mail, and mixed-mode surveys: The tailored design method (4th ed.). Wiley.
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