Writing good questions for your validation survey
Crafting effective survey questions is essential for obtaining meaningful insights, especially in the context of a validation survey. This article highlights best practices for writing good validation survey questions, and these practices align seamlessly with the functionalities of the goahead app.
The impact of weak questions on survey results
Strong survey questions drive results and insights. However, when questions are weak, especially in single-question surveys, they can:
- Confuse participants;
- Introduce biases;
- Lead participants to a specific answer.
Essential tips for crafting impactful surveys
Whether you're exploring market trends with goahead or collecting targeted feedback, the following strategies will guide you in creating effective surveys.
1. Prioritize closed-ended questions over open-ended ones
For data that's easy to interpret and analyze, closed-ended questions are invaluable. These produce quantitative, objective results perfect for visualization via charts and graphs. While open-ended questions can offer deep insights, they often require more time for participants to complete and can be challenging to analyze.
To boost survey completion rates, minimize the use of open-ended questions. goahead will automatically place them at the end of your survey.
2. Maintain neutrality in your questions
Avoid leading questions that subtly push participants towards a certain answer. For instance, instead of asking, “How awesome do you think our new visual identity is?”, phrase it as “How would you rate the appeal of our visual identity?”.
3. Offer balanced answer choices
Ensure that your answer choices allow participants to provide a full spectrum of feedback. For instance, if you’re asking about the appeal of a logo, options should range from "Very attractive" to "Very unattractive", ensuring all possible sentiments are covered.
4. Avoid double-barreled questions
Questions that tackle two topics simultaneously can confuse participants. A question like “How would you rate our visual identity and color concept?” should be split into two distinct questions for clarity.
5. Diversify your questions
Repeatedly using the same question format can lead to inattentive answering, diminishing the quality of feedback. Mix up the style, format, and sequence of questions to keep participants engaged.
By adhering to these principles, you're on the path to harnessing the true power of goahead's market study capabilities. Remember, the more precise your questions, the clearer the insights you will gain.
You can also get inspiration from our expert-written survey questions here
