Exploring Survey Design Through Case Studies

Over the next few months I will go through a couple of case studies on the process we use to design a survey. As you know I am a firm believer that the key to effective surveys lies in the design. No amount of analysis can make up for asking the wrong questions or asking them in the wrong way.

I plan to show how the process can look very different but is always driven by your survey objectives. I will include looking at a very complex survey, one that would be considered more standard and one that is fairly straightforward. The level of complexity impacts the number of steps needed to ensure that you end up with data that gives you the information you want, but the process in all cases has a common framework.

The first step in survey design is always reviewing the reasons for conducting the survey. What questions will be answered with the data that is collected? What decisions will be made based on the results? By clearly defining what it is that you want to do with the data you increase the probability that you will end up with a successful survey; one that plays a critical role in your decision-making. Those familiar with Stephen Covey might recognize this step as one of his seven habits of highly effective people, “Begin with the end in mind”.

Since the methods used to contact your survey participants can affect the quality of the data, we always want to look at the whole survey process to determine the most efficient and accurate way to collect the data. This analysis is another critical step of the survey design process. It is, in fact, the first step you take that leads you toward a complete evaluation of your survey audience.

My question design phase stays focused on the survey objectives and the decisions that will be driven by the results. At times it can be challenging to construct questions from the perspective of the respondents; however this is essential to a successful survey design. As the person designing a survey it is important to leverage the industry knowledge and experience of others in conjunction with your knowledge and experience in survey design. This part of the process is iterative. It requires putting things down on “paper” and coming back to review them repeatedly.

The next step is to test the questions for clarity, applicability and understanding with a small group before survey publication. This is the final check to ensure that your questions are in-line with your objectives and that the participants understand them as you intended.

I plan to illustrate the variety of ways that the above framework for survey design can be used to produce just the right survey; one that is easy to complete and provides useful information. Look for the same framework in each of the case studies we present.

I look forward to giving you some practical examples of the many principles that come into play when designing an effective survey.

Share This: