Effective Questionnaire Design for Market Research

Sampling Stage

Sample Size:

• Depends on population size
• The type of sample
• Feature (parameter) of the population that is analyzed
• The maximum permissible error in the estimation of the parameters

The Form: The information collected can be classified as:

• Acts or behaviors that can be compared
• Information: analyzes the degree of respondents' knowledge on specific topics
• Opinions or Judgments: such as perceived service quality
• Attitudes or predispositions of mind: We are looking for what is thought in relation to something
• Motives or explanations for specific behaviors: the question is, why certain views or acts?
• Possible future behavior: it may ask whether or not to consume a prepared product.

Concept and Structure of Questionnaires

The questionnaire is a way to survey, structured and ordered, to ensure that the same questions will be asked of all interviewees. Data is used when a certain phenomenon is inadequately understood.

The questionnaire achieves:

1. Translates the research into specific questions that would be answered by respondents.
2. Standardizes the gathering of information since all respondents answer the same questions.
3. If its design, structure, and management are successful, it helps people provide information.
4. Helps make data processing faster.

The questionnaire is structured in three parts:

• Introduction:
  1. Identify who has commissioned the research.
  2. Explain the purpose of the research.
  3. Guarantee anonymity.
  4. Explain how the respondent was chosen.
  5. If the questionnaire is completed face-to-face, the interviewer will make an assessment of the individual.
• Body: A set of questions that will be developed and is often divided into questions:
  1. Approximation: Usually simple questions, but engaging, to generate interest in collaborating.
  2. Transition: between the approximation questions and complex ones.
  3. Complex: needs more attention, interest, and judgment from the respondent.
• Identifiers of the respondent: nominal variables that can usually recognize the demographic and social characteristics of those who provide information and are important to form homogeneous groups and identify areas.

The order of questions should not affect responses; each question should be independent of the others.

The order of the questionnaire should be logical, questions should be related by theme, and the difficulty level should increase.

Questionnaire Characteristics

It is generally considered that a questionnaire can pursue several objectives:

• Estimate quantities: sample number of households with mobile phones
• Describe a population: the characteristics of a group of people.
• Check a scenario: Does beverage consumption vary according to age?

The test can indicate in the questionnaire: The sponsoring agency of the survey, guaranteed anonymity, the general theme of the survey and its reasons, and indicate the different ways to return the questionnaire.

Types of Questions

• Open and closed-ended questions: In the first, the respondent answers freely. The second type is limited.
• Dichotomous questions: two types of response alternatives that are mutually exclusive. If I buy one, I do not buy the other.
• Multiple-choice questions: if a question has several answer choices.
• Battery Questions: Questions regarding the same subject.
• Filter questions: those conditioning the first questions to the others.
• Control questions: their mission is to verify the consistency of the response. For example: How much do you spend on movies and entertainment?
• Projection Questions: obtain the interviewee's personal opinion, but rather than asking for it directly, they are asked to opine on other people.