Learn some best practices for structuring a questionnaire that is clear, concise, and engaging, and how to avoid respondent fatigue in marketing research.

A few quick tips: ⏳ Keep it nice and short. If it takes more than ~10 minutes, it's likely too long and can probably become more focused or be split into two questionnaires. 💬Use text cards to introduce a new section, define a term, or simply communicate with the respondent. Text cards are an excellent touch to avoid/reduce respondent fatigue. 🎯Use a variety of question types. Avoid having too many of the same type of questions one after the other. If you really need to, having a message card every now and then can make the task/questionnaire less monotonous. ✨Use some images/graphs/bold/italics (but without overdoing it). These certainly help and tend to make a questionnaire more interesting and fun for the respondent.

What are the best practices for structuring a questionnaire to avoid respondent fatigue?

Questionnaire design is a crucial aspect of marketing research, as it can affect the quality and quantity of data collected from respondents. However, designing a questionnaire that is clear, concise, and engaging is not always easy, especially when dealing with complex or sensitive topics. One of the common challenges that researchers face is how to avoid respondent fatigue, which is the loss of interest or motivation that can occur when answering a long or boring survey. Respondent fatigue can lead to lower response rates, higher drop-out rates, and lower data quality, as respondents may skip, rush, or provide inaccurate answers. Therefore, it is important to follow some best practices for structuring a questionnaire to avoid respondent fatigue and improve the survey experience. Here are some of them:

1 Keep it short and simple

The first and most obvious rule is to keep the questionnaire as short and simple as possible, without compromising the research objectives. Ideally, a questionnaire should take no more than 10 to 15 minutes to complete, and each question should be clear, concise, and relevant. Avoid asking unnecessary or redundant questions, and use filters or logic to skip or branch questions based on previous answers. Also, avoid using jargon, technical terms, or acronyms that may confuse or alienate respondents. Use simple and consistent language throughout the questionnaire, and make sure the questions are easy to read and understand.

Add your perspective

2 Use a variety of question types

Another way to avoid respondent fatigue is to use a variety of question types, such as multiple choice, rating scales, open-ended, or matrix questions. This can help to keep the respondents engaged and interested, as well as to capture different types of data. However, be careful not to overuse or misuse certain question types, as they may have drawbacks or limitations. For example, multiple choice questions may not cover all the possible options or may introduce bias, rating scales may be ambiguous or subjective, open-ended questions may be time-consuming or difficult to code, and matrix questions may be overwhelming or repetitive. Therefore, choose the question type that best suits the purpose and format of the question, and balance the use of different question types throughout the questionnaire.

Add your perspective

Nikos Nikolaidis

Senior Customer Research Manager at Attest
Report contribution
This is key. Sometimes it may be tempting/easy to have 15-20 single-choice questions one after the other, but the reality is that this will likely result in respondent fatigue to some extent. The best questionnaires we see tend to have a nice mix of types of questions so it's always a good idea to try to use multiple question types, whenever you can.

Like

3 Use visual aids and incentives

Another way to avoid respondent fatigue is to use visual aids and incentives to enhance the questionnaire design and appeal. Visual aids, such as images, icons, graphs, or charts, can help to illustrate the questions, provide context, or simplify the response options. They can also make the questionnaire more attractive and interactive, and reduce the cognitive load on the respondents. However, visual aids should not be used excessively or unnecessarily, as they may distract or influence the respondents. They should also be relevant, clear, and consistent with the question and the response options. Incentives, such as rewards, prizes, or feedback, can help to motivate the respondents to complete the questionnaire and provide honest and accurate answers. They can also increase the response rates and reduce the drop-out rates. However, incentives should not be too high or too low, as they may create expectations or suspicions. They should also be appropriate, ethical, and transparent with the respondents.

Add your perspective

4 Test and refine the questionnaire

The final and most important rule is to test and refine the questionnaire before launching it to the target population. Testing the questionnaire can help to identify and eliminate any errors, flaws, or ambiguities that may affect the data quality or the respondent experience. Testing can be done by conducting a pilot survey with a small sample of respondents, or by asking experts, colleagues, or friends to review the questionnaire and provide feedback. Testing can also help to estimate the length, difficulty, and clarity of the questionnaire, and to adjust it accordingly. Refining the questionnaire can help to improve the structure, wording, and formatting of the questions and the response options, and to ensure that they are aligned with the research objectives and the respondent characteristics. Refining can also help to optimize the questionnaire for different devices, platforms, or modes of delivery, and to ensure that it is accessible and user-friendly.

Add your perspective

5 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?

Add your perspective

Nikos Nikolaidis

Senior Customer Research Manager at Attest
Report contribution
A few quick tips: ⏳ Keep it nice and short. If it takes more than ~10 minutes, it's likely too long and can probably become more focused or be split into two questionnaires. 💬Use text cards to introduce a new section, define a term, or simply communicate with the respondent. Text cards are an excellent touch to avoid/reduce respondent fatigue. 🎯Use a variety of question types. Avoid having too many of the same type of questions one after the other. If you really need to, having a message card every now and then can make the task/questionnaire less monotonous. ✨Use some images/graphs/bold/italics (but without overdoing it). These certainly help and tend to make a questionnaire more interesting and fun for the respondent.

Like

What are the best practices for structuring a questionnaire to avoid respondent fatigue?

1

2

3

4

5

1 Keep it short and simple

2 Use a variety of question types

3 Use visual aids and incentives

4 Test and refine the questionnaire

5 Here’s what else to consider

Marketing Research

Rate this article

Thanks for your feedback

More articles on Marketing Research

More relevant reading