The Center for Outcomes Research & Education (CORE) shares seven basic steps for community-based organizations getting started with survey development. Read the summary below or view the original webinar for a deeper dive!
Whether you’re a small nonprofit or a large organization, surveys are a valuable tool for understanding and serving your audiences. A well-designed survey can reveal their opinions and needs and help you make smarter, data-driven decisions. However, the simplicity of surveys can be deceiving. And getting started can be intimidating for those with limited research experience. CORE's Data for Change team is here to help!
In a fall 2024 webinar, Sarah Roth and Claire Devine from CORE convened a group of community organizations participating in CORE's Data for Change program to share key steps and best practices for effective beginner's survey design.
Read on for seven key steps that the team described in the webinar, or view the full webinar on YouTube.
Step 1: Define your survey’s purpose
The first step is to clearly define the purpose of the survey. What are you trying to learn? Examples outlined in the webinar include:
● Collect staff input
● Assess community needs
● Gather client feedback
● Test a program's success
Defining your purpose is essential to the steps ahead. Document what you’re trying to accomplish at the onset of the process and refer back to that purpose every step along the way.
Step 2: Select your sample group
Your sample group consists of the people who will take your survey--the individuals that you'll collect data from. It's essential that this group represents the larger population you're studying. For example, if you're surveying clients, make sure your sample includes a good mix of different types of clients.
Step 3: Craft your questions
Next, you’re ready to craft survey questions! A good survey has clear, unbiased questions that match the research goals. The type of question you ask—yes/no, multiple-choice, or open-ended—also plays a role. Each option offers unique advantages and disadvantages.
- Open-ended questions allow respondents to provide their own answers and express their thoughts. They can be great for understanding people’s experiences and opinions. Just keep in mind that open-ended questions may be more difficult to analyze.
- Closed-ended questions produce more uniform answers that are typically easier to analyze. However, the answer options must be relevant and based on real subject matter expertise.
- Audience input can help shape more effective questions, so test your questions with representative audience members if possible.
Check out the full webinar for additional tips on constructing and sourcing great survey questions.
Step 4: Choose your data collection method
Each survey collection method has advantages and disadvantages. Common approaches include:
- mail (e.g., paper survey)
- phone,
- face-to-face interviews,
- electronic (email, web, etc.)
In the webinar, Sarah and Claire break down pros and cons of the most common approaches.
For example, surveys/questionnaires that are distributed online, on paper, or through an app are popular due to their flexibility and ease of use. Plus, they're often easier to analyze, especially when they include closed-ended questions like multiple-choice or rating scales.
Alternatively, interviews can be conducted in-person or over the phone, allowing for more detailed answers. Just keep in mind that interviews can be more time-consuming and costly.
Step 5: Collect responses
The next step is to collect responses. Online surveys make this relatively easy, but it’s essential to take steps to increase the response rate and ensure a representative sample. Tips from CORE include:
- Clearly communicate purpose: Ensure respondents understand the survey’s purpose and how their input will be used. Being transparent can increase participation.
Step 6: Interpret the data
Finally, it’s time to interpret the results! This means analyzing what the data reveals, including patterns, trends and surprising findings.
It’s important to consider any biases that may have affected the results, such as whether the sample was representative, or if any questions were unclear.
Comparing the findings to previous studies or existing data sets can also provide context for the results. For example, if you find shared preferences or behaviors, it may be helpful to compare this to past trends.
Step 7: Share your findings
The final and sometimes overlooked step is sharing the results. Think about who you want to share findings with (e.g., the survey respondents, your board, the broader community) and how you will share them. This can be done through reports, presentations, articles, postcards, or email follow-up campaigns. It all depends on the audience!
Ultimately, the goal is to communicate the findings in a way that responds to the original goals, is clear, and useful.
With these seven steps, you’ll be on your way to crafting great surveys. Want to learn more? Check out the webinar on CORE’s YouTube channel
Have questions about getting started with surveys? Get in touch with CORE!
Thank you to former CORE intern Sydney Carter for contributing to this blog post!
Related resources:
- CORE webinar: Analyzing and using qualitative data
- Measuring impact: Designing an evaluation for Oregon's 1115(a) Medicaid Waiver
- Learn about CORE's Data for Change program
