The core of a survey is ultimately the 'questions.' No matter how excellent the survey goal or how accurate the target respondent selection, if the questions themselves are ambiguous or difficult to understand, you cannot obtain high-quality data. If a respondent reads a question and thinks, "Huh? What does this mean?" that survey is already on the path to failure. Therefore, it is paramount to write questions clearly and concisely so that respondents can immediately, and all in the same way, understand the meaning of the question.
1. No More Ambiguous Words or Expressions!
Words that are used naturally in everyday conversation can cause misunderstandings in surveys. Ambiguous expressions like "often," "sometimes," "frequently," "recently," "mostly," where the interpretation criteria can vary from person to person, should be avoided. Instead, specify concrete criteria or periods so that all respondents understand them in the same way.
- Bad Example: "How often do you use our customer center?"
- Problem: The standard for 'often' varies from person to person. For some, once a month might be often, while for others, it might be several times a week.
- Good Example: "How many times have you used our customer center in the last 3 months?"
- Improvement: It asks for a specific number of times ('how many times') within a clear period ('last 3 months').
- Example Options: ① Never used ② 1-2 times ③ 3-4 times ④ 5 times or more
2. Use Easy Terms Appropriate for the Respondent's Level
Consider the knowledge level and background of the target respondents and use everyday terms that anyone can easily understand.8 Unless targeting experts in a specific field, internal jargon or overly difficult academic terms can confuse respondents and reduce the accuracy of their answers.
- Bad Example (for general consumers): "How much do you think the usability has improved after the UX/UI enhancement of your product?"
- Problem: The term 'UX/UI' may be unfamiliar to those not in the IT industry.
- Good Example: "After the design or usage method of our product was improved, how much more convenient do you think it is to use the product?"
- Improvement: Explained using easy words like 'design or usage method,' 'how much more convenient do you think it is?'
3. One Thing at a Time, Concise and Clear Sentence Structure
Each question should contain only one idea, and sentences should be as short and easy to understand as possible. If a sentence is long or multiple ideas are mixed, it becomes difficult for respondents to grasp the core of the question and they become confused about what to focus on when answering.
- Bad Example: "Overall, what are your thoughts on the ease of use and design satisfaction of the recently released OOO feature, and if there are any areas you think need improvement, please specify what they are."
- Problem: It asks about multiple things at once (ease of use, design satisfaction, improvement points), making it difficult to answer.
- Good Example:
- "How satisfied are you with the ease of use of the recently released OOO feature?"
- "How satisfied are you with the design of the recently released OOO feature?"
- "If there is anything you would like to see improved while using the OOO feature, please tell us freely."
- Improvement: Separated each question to make it clear.
4. Double Negatives Only Add Confusion!
Double negative sentences like "Is there nothing that is not OOO?" or "Don't you think OOO is not impossible?" require unnecessary cognitive effort from respondents to understand the question's intent and are very likely to cause misinterpretation. It is advisable to change them to positive sentences or use clear and direct expressions.
- Bad Example: "Wasn't it not difficult to find the information you wanted on our website?"
- Problem: 'Not difficult' can be confusing – does it mean 'easy' or 'average'? If answered 'yes,' it's ambiguous whether it was easy or not difficult.
- Good Example: "How easily could you find the information you wanted on our website?"
- Improvement: Changed to a direct and positive question to clarify the meaning.
- Example Options: ① Very easy ② Easy ③ Average ④ Difficult ⑤ Very difficult
Clear and concise questions help respondents participate more easily in the survey and accurately express their thoughts. This, in turn, is a key factor in enhancing the quality of the collected data and increasing the likelihood of survey success.