All frameworks and cheat sheets

Process

The ideal survey flow in five parts

Process showing the five-part order for a survey: easy openers, core objectives, complex or sensitive items, open-ended questions and a closing.
Order shapes the answers, so put your main questions where attention is highest.

A five-part order for survey questions. Open with easy, relevant questions, put the core research questions next while attention is high, move sensitive items to the middle, leave open-ended questions for the end and close by thanking people and explaining how their answers will be used. Ask for overall ratings after specific ones to limit order effects.

Where this appears

What's in this process

  1. Easy openers: Non-threatening, relevant questions that build momentum. Demographics work well here.
  2. Core objectives: Your main research questions, placed while attention is highest.
  3. Complex or sensitive items: Mid-survey, once rapport is established.
  4. Open-ended questions: At the end. They take the most effort and shouldn't put people off early.
  5. Closing: Thank participants, explain how the data will be used and set expectations.

Use this image

Free to use in your docs, decks and posts under CC BY 4.0, as long as you credit Koji with a link to this page. To embed it, paste this into your page:

html
<a href="https://www.koji.so/visuals/survey-flow-five-parts-question-order"><img src="https://www.koji.so/visuals/survey-flow-five-parts-question-order/survey-flow-five-parts-question-order.png" alt="Process showing the five-part order for a survey: easy openers, core objectives, complex or sensitive items, open-ended questions and a closing." width="1200" height="739" /></a>
<p>Source: <a href="https://www.koji.so/visuals/survey-flow-five-parts-question-order">The ideal survey flow in five parts</a>, Koji</p>