Eduardo E Sierra I’ve always associated open-ended questions with a double-edged sword.
On the one hand, it can give you unique and useful insights. Survey respondents get a chance to express their opinions and expand on their thought process.
On the other hand, it can cause participants to become easily uninterested. An excess amount of open-ended questions can lead to survey fatigue and unusable data.
If you find yourself with a considerable number of open-ended questions, take these actionable steps:
- Go over the open-ended questions to determine those who are going to get your survey to accomplish its purpose.
- Once you’ve selected the necessary ones, find a way to turn them into close-ended questions. A great way is to write up alternatives for each one. This simple exercise can help you optimize your questions, without compromising the gist of it.
My recommendation is 2 open-ended questions per survey, max. Not only will it keep the survey flowing smoothly, but it will simplify the data analysis process.
Keep your eyes on the prize: powerful insights.
