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 Questionnaire
Survey 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
6. Evaluate
the
questionnai
re
7. Obtain
approval of
all relevant
parties
2.
determine
the datacollection
method
5. Establish
questionnai
re flow and
layout
8. Pretest
and revise
3.
Determine
the
question
response
format
4. Decide
on
question
wording
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
1
No
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
4
B. 17-24
2
E. 50-64
5
C. 25-34
3
F. 65 and over
6
Questionnaire Design Process
3. Scaled-response questions
Ex:
1. Now that you have used the product, would you say that you
would buy it or not? (CHECK ONE)
Yes, would buy it
No, would not buy it
2.
Now that you have used the product, would you say that you …
(CHECK ONE)
definitely would buy it
probably would buy it
might or might not buy it
probably would not buy it
definitely would not buy it
Questionnaire Design Process
• Step 4: Decide on the question wording
Four guidelines about the wording of questions are
useful to bear in mind:
1. Make sure the wording is clear
2. Avoid biasing the respondent
3. Consider the respondent’s ability to answer the
questions
4. Consider the respondent’s willingness to answer the
question
Questionnaire Design Process
• Step 5: Establish questionnaire flow and layout
Guidelines 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
How a Questionnaire Should Be Organized
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.
Questionnaire Design Process
• Step 5: Establish questionnaire flow and layout
– A proper introduction and closing
Example:
Introduction/opening
Hello, 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?
Closing
Thank 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 questionnaire
Issues 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).