All too often we make decisions based on results derived from the wrong questions. Even if they are the right questions, if they are poorly written the outcome is the same: decisions based on bad questions.

Survey question design is the heart of survey research. Asking the right questions the right way to the right people in the context of an appropriate research framework generates relevant, useable information. But how do we know what are the right questions? We refer to the survey objectives. How do we know we are asking them the right way?

An effective survey administration strategy will help ensure you receive an acceptable quantity and quality of responses. Research describes a variety of incentives and processes available to us to increase our chances of getting a good response rate. A final characteristic of a good survey is one for which the final results are reported in such a way that stakeholders immediately “get it.” Reporting results requires written words, oral presentations, and effective graphical displays.