By: Laura Brinson (Senior Evaluator)
Data collection, while it might not be everyone’s favorite thing to do, is essential for our work. In order to work “with” and not “for”, we need feedback from the community to guide, support, and evaluate our initiatives.
One of the most efficient ways to collect data from a large group of people is through the use of surveys; however, we are often bombarded with them everywhere we turn, from satisfaction surveys on purchases we have made to polls on our political opinions, to questions asking about our call with customer service. Survey fatigue is real, so how do we collect the data necessary to make a meaningful impact in our communities?
Several factors need to be taken into consideration when designing and implementing surveys. Here is a list of things to keep in mind:
- Define your audience – The most important factor to consider when implementing a survey is your audience. The audience determines everything else about the survey – the questions, format, and distribution methods. Consider characteristics such as age, education level, primary language, culture, and others.
- Ask only what you NEED to know, not what you WANT to know – When creating a survey, we can often get distracted considering all of the data we want to know rather than the data we need to know for our program or project. Not only can extra questions add to the length of the survey and make it less likely that it will be completed, but we also have an ethical obligation to use the data collected. Don’t collect data for curiosity’s sake.
- Participant language and literacy level are important – It goes without saying that if you want good data, participants need to understand the questions you are asking. Ensure that your survey is available in the primary language(s) of your community and is at an appropriate reading and comprehension level. Work with members of the community to ensure that both the translation and question wording and response options are optimal.
- Allow for multiple ways to participate – To increase survey participation, allow participants to complete the survey in multiple ways. Consider online surveys using platforms such as Google Forms or SurveyMonkey, distributing links and/or QR codes, and paper/pencil questionnaires.
- Distribute the survey far and wide – Participants need to learn about the survey, often with many reminders, in order to complete it. Utilize multiple outlets, including but not limited to social media, emails, tabling events, and flyers. Work to ensure all segments of the audience have an opportunity to participate, including different neighborhoods, schools, ages, etc. Collaborate with community partners to distribute the survey through their networks. When working with community partners, it is also important to coordinate if they also collect survey data. Consider scheduling so only one organization/agency conducts a survey at a time and/or combining efforts on a joint survey to meet data collection needs.
- Incentivize participation – While not always possible due to budget constraints, consider incentivizing participation. Ideas include gift cards, swag items, and raffles for completing a survey. Be careful, however, about promoting incentives on the internet and social media, as those outside of your target area may complete the survey in the hopes of getting an incentive or being entered into a raffle.
- Consider alternative data collection methods for events – A survey is not always required to collect data that can be helpful for our efforts. Beliefs, attitudes, and opinions can often be measured through interactive methods at presentations or tabling events. Techniques such as asking a question and having people answer by placing a marble into a jar or live polling using platforms such as PollEverywhere or Mentimeter can provide useful information and feedback without having to implement a formal survey.
- Don’t forget to share the data back with the community – Have you ever completed a survey, and then later wondered what happened to the data that was collected? Was the data used? How did others respond? Don’t leave your community wondering – make it a point to share the data back using the same channels in which you distributed/promoted the survey. Letting the community know how you used the data collected will also make them more likely to participate in the future.
If you have any questions regarding community survey design and implementation, contact your ECS evaluator today!