Comparison
Surveys vs interviews: when to use each
A side-by-side guide to choosing between a survey and an interview. Surveys fit measuring, counting and tracking known variables across a large group. Interviews fit discovery, depth and finding the cause behind a number. Most product decisions need both, and the order matters. Koji runs AI-moderated interviews for the discovery side.
Where this appears
What's in this comparison
Use a survey when
- You need to measure, count or track across a large group
- You already know what to ask
- You need statistical significance (50+ responses)
- You are prioritizing between known options
- You want to track a metric over time
Use an interview when
- You need to understand why people think, feel or act
- You need to discover what matters
- You need depth and nuance (5 to 20 responses)
- You are exploring a problem before building
- You see a metric but not its cause
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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:
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<a href="https://www.koji.so/visuals/survey-vs-interview-when-to-use-comparison"><img src="https://www.koji.so/visuals/survey-vs-interview-when-to-use-comparison/survey-vs-interview-when-to-use-comparison.png" alt="Comparison of when to use a survey and when to use an interview, based on what you already know, how many responses you need and the decision at stake." width="1200" height="656" /></a>
<p>Source: <a href="https://www.koji.so/visuals/survey-vs-interview-when-to-use-comparison">Surveys vs interviews: when to use each</a>, Koji</p>
