jameshom.com | Usability Methods Toolbox

Surveys

What is it?

Surveys are ad hoc interviews with users, where a set list of questions is asked and the users' responses recorded. Surveys differ from questionaires in that they are interactive interviews, although not structured like contextual inquiries nor formally scheduled and organized like focus groups.

How do I do it?

You begin by formulating questions about your product based on the type of information you want to know. The sources listed at the end of this page provide more information on designing effective questions. Then, simply ask your users to answer these questions.

When should I use this technique?

This technique can be used at any stage of development, depending on the questions that are asked in the survey. Often, surveys are used after products are shipped to assess customer satisfaction with the product. Such surveys often identify usability issues that should have been caught in-house before the product was released to the market.

Who can tell me more?

Click on any of the following links for more information:

Alreck, Pamela L., and Settle, Robert B., The Survey Research Handbook, 1994, Irwin Professional Publishing, Chicago, IL, ISBN: 0-256-10321-6 (ISBN is for cheaper paperbound 1995 version)

Salant, Priscilla, and Dillman, Don A., How to Conduct Your Own Survey, 1994, John Wiley & Sons, New York, NY, ISBN: 0471012734