Most surveys today are too long and, ask
too much information. Therefore, abandonment by the
respondent is a result. Set your objectives concisely, and
then ask only those questions that are related to the
objective. Do not ask, "nice to know" questions
in hopes that someday you will use this additional
information.
Determing sample size, is not difficult,
there are many statistical programs that can easily give you a
number. The most difficult part of sampling, is being sure
that your respondents are chosen randomly, that is, each respondent
has the same chance of being selected as any other respondent in
your universe.
The right scales are a very important
aspect in desiging a survey. Should you use a five point
scale, ten point scale, seven point scale? Each has its
advantages and disadvantages. One way to assist in determing
the correct scale is to identify how you will use your survey
over time, will it be used to benchmark year to
year?
Faster, cheeper, more, that is usually
what market research departments crave. So, on-line surveys
and panels have become the DIY of survey design. The intenet
has been great, but phone, interviews and mail surveys still have
their place for some target markets.
