An imprecise question is an equally common mistake in online surveys. When you create a survey, no one is as deep in the topic as you are. A lot seems obvious to you, but not to your respondents. They have to understand every question at once, without thinking or interpreting.
Ask concretely, with a clear reference
Phrase every question precisely and name the reference explicitly:
- Wrong: “If there were an election, who would you vote for?”
- Right: “If there were a general election next Sunday, which party would you vote for with your party-list vote?” That makes the timing, the election and the type of vote unambiguous.
One thing per question
Each question may refer to only one matter. A double-barrelled question cannot be answered clearly:
- Wrong: “How do you rate the performance of your colleagues and managers?”
- Right: two separate questions, one about colleagues, one about managers.
No unfamiliar terms or abbreviations
Technical terms or abbreviations that not everyone knows lead to guessed answers or drop-outs:
- Wrong: “Should a quarterly SWOT analysis be mandatory for DAX companies?”
- Right: explain terms such as SWOT and DAX beforehand, or avoid them.
Besides being precise, a question should also be unambiguous, more on that under Unclear Questions.
What is LamaPoll?
LamaPoll is an online survey tool for creating employee surveys and measuring employee satisfaction. With us, you can create, conduct, and analyse all types of employee surveys.
Set up your employee survey in just a few steps, customise it with your company's corporate design, and invite your employees conveniently by email or via your intranet. You'll gather insights to boost employee satisfaction in no time. Sign up for free with our online survey tool. You can then run surveys for up to 50 employees immediately and with no obligation. If you need more responses for your online employee survey, simply use our monthly plans. You can also make use of our templates and examples for employee survey questionnaires.
