Questionnaire format

Designing a questionnaire: what to consider when choosing the format

A paper questionnaire usually follows a fixed page format. With an online questionnaire, however, the structure and presentation need to work with both the content and the device being used. There is therefore no single standard format. The appropriate number of questions per page depends on factors such as the length and complexity of the questions, the response formats and the devices on which respondents complete the questionnaire.

Short questions on the same topic can work well together on one page. For longer or more complex questionnaires, several clearly structured pages can make the content easier to follow. If the questionnaire contains only a few short questions, a single page may be the better option. What matters is not a fixed number of questions per page, but a format that provides orientation without unnecessary scrolling or frequent page changes.

Important considerations:

• Number and length of questions
• Questions that belong together thematically
• Intended page skips and redirects
• Question types and response formats used
• Presentation on different screen sizes

Please note: LamaPoll questionnaires are responsive. Very wide content, such as matrix questions with many columns, still requires particular attention on small screens. Test such questions on a smartphone before publishing the questionnaire.