10 Questionnaire Design

Role of Questionnaire

• Survey research, by definition, relies on the use of a questionnaire.

• A questionnaire is a set of questions designed to generate the data necessary to accomplish the objectives of the research project; also called an interview schedule or survey instrument.

Role of QuestionnaireSurvey objectives

+ Respondent info.

Questionnaire

Data analysis

Findings

Recommendations

Managerial actions

Criteria for a Good Questionnaire

• Does it provide the necessary decision-making info./important insights for management?

• Does it consider the respondent? Does it poorly designed, confusing, or overly lengthy?

• Does it meet editing and coding requirements?– Editing: going through each questionnaire to ensure

that skip patterns (sequence in which questions are asked, based on a respondent’s answer) were followed and the required questions filled out.

Questionnaire Design Process

1. Determine survey

objectives, resources, and

constraints

2. determine the data-collection method

3. Determine

the question response

format

4. Decide on

question wording

5. Establish questionnaire flow and

layout

6. Evaluate the

questionnaire

7. Obtain approval of all relevant

parties

8. Pretest and revise

9. Prepare

final copy

10. Implement the survey

Questionnaire Design Process

• Step 1: Determine survey objectives, resources, and constraints– Survey objectives: outline of the decision-making

info. sought through the questionnaire

• Step 2: Determine the data-collection method– Survey data can be gathered, in variety of ways (e.g.

Internet, telephone, mail, mall, or self-administration) and the survey method impacts questionnaire design.

Questionnaire Design Process

• Step 3: Determine the question response format

Three major types of questions are used in marketing research:

1. Open-ended questions: questions to which the respondent replies in her/his own words.

2. Closed-ended questions: questions that require the respondent to choose from a list of answers

3. Scaled-response questions: closed-ended questions in which the response choices are designed to capture the intensity of the respondent’s feeling.

Questionnaire Design Process

1. Open-ended questions:Ex: What do you think is most in need of improvement here at the airport?

2. Closed-ended questions:Dichotomous question (choose between 2 answers)Ex: Did you heat the Danish roll before serving?

Yes 1No 2

Multiple-choice question (choose among several answers)Ex: Please check the age group to which you belong.A. Under 17 1 D. 35-49 4B. 17-24 2 E. 50-64 5C. 25-34 3 F. 65 and over 6

Questionnaire Design Process

3. Scaled-response questionsEx: 4. Now that you have used the product, would you say that you would buy it

or not? (CHECK ONE)Yes, would buy itNo, would not buy it

2. Now that you have used the product, would you say that you … (CHECK ONE)definitely would buy itprobably would buy itmight or might not buy itprobably would not buy itdefinitely would not buy it

Questionnaire Design Process

• Step 4: Decide on the question wordingFour guidelines about the wording of questions are useful to bear in mind:1. Make sure the wording is clear2. Avoid biasing the respondent3. Consider the respondent’s ability to answer the

questions4. Consider the respondent’s willingness to answer the

question

Questionnaire Design Process

• Step 5: Establish questionnaire flow and layoutGuidelines concerning questionnaire flow:

– Use screening questions to identify qualified respondents– Begin with a question that gets the respondent’s interest– Ask general questions first– Ask questions that require “work” in the middle– Position sensitive, threatening, and demographic

questions at the end– Put instructions in capital letters– Use a proper introduction and closing

Questionnaire Design Process

Location Type Examples Rationale

Screeners Qualifying questions

“Have you been snow skiing in the past 12 months?”“Do you own a pair of skis”

The goal is to identify target respondents.

First few questions

Warm-ups “What brand of skis do you own?”“How many years have you own them?”

Easy-to-answer questions show the respondent that the survey is simple.

First third of questions

Transitions “What features do you like best about the skis?” Questions related to research objectives require slightly more effort.

Second third Difficult and complicated questions

“Following are 10 characteristics of snow skis. Please rate your skis on each characteristics, using the scale below.”

The respondent has committed to completing the questionnaire.

Last third Classifying and demographic conditions

“What is the highest level of education you have attained?”

The respondent may leave some “personal” questions blank, but they are at the end of the survey.

How a Questionnaire Should Be Organized

Questionnaire Design Process

• Step 5: Establish questionnaire flow and layout– A proper introduction and closing

Example:Introduction/openingHello, my name is …………., and I’m calling from (company). Today/Tonight

we are calling to gather opinions regarding (general subject), and are not selling anything. This study will take approximately (length) and may be monitored (and recorded) for quality purposes. We would appreciate your time. May I include your opinions?

ClosingThank you for your time and cooperation. I hope this experience was a

pleasant one. Please remember that your opinion counts! Have a good day/evening.

Questionnaire Design Process

• Step 6: Evaluate the questionnaireIssues should be considered:

1. For each question, is the question necessary?2. Is the questionnaire too long?3. Will the questions provide the info. needed to

accomplish the research objectives?

Questionnaire Design Process

• Step 7: Obtain approval of all relevant parties– Example: for a new product questionnaire should get the

approval from the new product development manager• Step 8: Pretest with the target respondents and

revise• Step 9: Prepare final questionnaire copy– Include precise instructions: where to interview, target

respondents, and when to respondents test items (if any)• Step 10: Implement the survey

Impact of the Internet on Questionnaire Development

• For example, a marketing research company can now create a questionnaire and send it as an e-mail attachment to management for comments and approval; once approved, a programmed version can be placed on the research firm’s or client’s server to be administered an Internet survey.

Costs, Profitability, and Questionnaires

• The role of the questionnaire in survey research costs can be a decisive one.

• If a research firm overestimates data-collection costs, chances are that it will lose the project to another supplier.

• Most data-collection costs are associated not with conducting the actual interview, but with finding a qualified respondent (failed attempts, cooperation problems, screener determines respondent not eligible, or respondent terminated during interview).