Surveys

Survey Says!

A LL survey is classified as a questionnaire that can be administered in primarily three ways: paper-based, electronic or verbal. The optimal solution is to have the highest survey response rate at the lowest possible cost or level of effort. The survey response rate is the result of dividing the number of people who completed the questionnaire by the total number of people in the sample who were eligible to participate. The graphic below depicts examples of characteristics to consider when conducting surveys to support LL. The numeric indicators can be used to calculate the overall effectiveness of the survey methods used.

Electronic survey that involve human-to-computer interaction:
  • Web-based surveys (pull oriented)
  • Email surveys (push oriented)
  • Kiosk surveys
  • PDA/cell-phone surveys
  • Voice-mail surveys
Paper-based survey that do involve direct human involvement:
  • Convenience surveys, i.e., not specific to demographic characteristics
  • Targeted population surveys based on a specific audience, i.e., trade show
  • Random, computer selects every "X" person that comes through the door
  • Suggestion boxes
  • External mail surveys
  • Internal memo surveys
Verbal survey that engage person-to-person discussion:
  • In-person
  • Remote via phone

Incentives for Survey Respondents

To pay or not to pay is the question asked by many researchers. This dilemma may also plague the project team as they seek to maximize participation in LL surveys. Incentives may include the following:
  • Financial compensation
  • Time off work
  • Gift certificate
  • Name in a drawing
  • Recognition for participation supporting study results
  • Thank you letter from upper management
  • Award based on level of comments that results in a positive change or capturing of a result
Perceived Effectiveness Electronic Paper-based Verbal
Cost Per Survey Very Effective Effective Effective
Capture M/C, T/F or Y/N Response Very Effective Effective Effective
Capture Open-ended Comments Somewhat Effective Effective Very Effective
Length of Time to Complete Survey Effective Somewhat Ineffective Somewhat Ineffective
Time of Day to Complete Survey Very Effective Somewhat Effective Somewhat Effective
Small Number of Survey Questions Effective Effective Very Effective
Large Number of Survey Questions Effective Somewhat Ineffective Ineffective
Clarification of Survey Questions Effective Somewhat Effective Effective
Time to Summarize Survey Responses Very Effective Somewhat Ineffective Somewhat Ineffective
Control Survey Bias/Communication Very Effective Somewhat Effective Somewhat Ineffective
Ability to Address Multiple Languages Very Effective Somewhat Ineffective Very Ineffective
Survey Response Rate Effective Somewhat Effective Somewhat Effective
Covering a Wide Geographic Region Very Effective Somewhat Ineffective Somewhat Ineffective
Flexibility in Survey Instrument Design Very Effective Somewhat Ineffective Ineffective
Flexibility in Adaptive Survey Questions Very Effective Ineffective Somewhat Ineffective