How can you write a questionnaire that avoids jargon and technical terms?

The most important step before starting the questionnaire is defining your research questions. Are you exploring a topic or trying to measure a psychological construct, such as the degree to which people are satisfied with a service or product? Then, decide on your scales (how you measure), understanding that choosing the same scale throughout (Likert scale, for instance) can create cognitive fatigue, compromising your data. Finally, online surveys should not exceed 5-7 minutes to maintain interest and focus.

Questionnaire are meant for Consumers who doesn’t understand any fancy jargon,rather their interest and attention span remains short. Hence researcher should make sure to simplify the questionnaire to an extend as possible.If needed breakdown the questions. Try to administer the questionnaire in the local language and even the same dialect and the common local lingo as possible for the ease of understanding.

To create a questionnaire without technical jargon, first, identify any complicated words or phrases. Then, explain these terms in simple language or avoid using them altogether. Use everyday words and straightforward sentences in your questions. This way, you'll make sure that everyone can easily understand and answer your questionnaire.

Making language accessible, especially in the context where clear communication, is key. This is even more true in customer feedback or cross-disciplinary collaboration. By defining jargon and technical terms, we ensure everyone is on the same page and can contribute meaningfully to the conversation. Think of this as an exercise in inclusion. Furthermore, banking brands are plagued by "bankernese" where they speak in their own language. This causes confusion for the common person. But it doesn't have to be this way with an empathetic approach to communication.

In my opinion Use Plain Language: Keep your questions and answer choices simple and straightforward. Avoid using complex words or industry-specific terminology. Avoid Acronyms: Spell out acronyms and abbreviations or avoid them altogether. For instance, use “How satisfied are you with our customer service?” instead of “How satisfied are you with our CS?”

Very important to wear consumer shoes when designing a questionnaire. A research problem does not always directly translate into a question to the consumer. And a good researcher knows what to ask to elicit the desired response. Talk to your consumer and you’ll get there. Give them jargons - garbage in, garbage out!

One simple way to avoid falling into the trap of using jargon in questionnaires is to first talk to 5-10 consumers generally. Steer the conversation in the area of topic you wish to learn more about, while keeping the chat extremely informal. Keep note of the words that the consumers use to describe your category, product, and service. Build a word bank using these conversations. Then draw upon these words extensively while designing your structured questionnaire.

Another way of avoiding jargons and making it easier for the readers to comprehend and understand better is is by simply defining any technical terms mentioned in the questionnaire briefly beside/below a question . This makes a question easily understandable even with jargons.

One thing that can be helpful is the Flesch-Kincaid readability scale. It basically computes a grade level equivalent of a text so one can approximate how complex the language is. Microsoft Word has this feature built in, so one can just go into the Review tab, select Editor, and then select the "document stats" button and find stats for this scale. The average reading level of adults in the United States is at or around a 7th grade or lower (and many are below that), according to the US Department of Education, so questions targeted towards the general population should take that into account. It's not a catch all, but I've found the Flesch-Kincaid scale a helpful metric in reducing the complexity of texts.

Whenever you can avoid jargon and technical terms, it is a best practice to do so. This may not always be possible, especially in highly regulated industries. In such cases, defining the term being used is a best practice that not only provides education to the respondent, but also level-sets the understanding for all. Shorter sentences are always better. Grammar checking software can help catch opportunities to simplify your language.

For questions that ask customers to rate your product or service (ex NPS), consider adding an optional “Please explain why you chose that answer” with an open text field. This helps you better validate or refute conscious or subconscious assumptions you might have about your customers. Of course, use these sparingly — too many open-ended questions in your survey can fatigue your respondents!

In addition to asking questions in a neutral manner, another practice that is helpful in research is to test alternative questions. Sometimes referred to as A/B testing, this practice can help you better understand how different responses sort respondents in ways that correlate with outcomes. An example is the Gallup Q12 Engagement survey where the question, "Do you have a best friend at work?" is much more correlated with employees that exhibit high engagement. One can imagine that a more "neutral" question might be phrased, "Do you have a friend at work?" In this case, the more neutral question does not correlate with engagement and therefore is less helpful from a research standpoint.

Ensure that questions are neutral and do not lead respondents to a particular answer. Leading questions can bias the results.

The reason to avoid jargon and technical terms is to increase the understandability of the scales. One way of doing this is by accessing face validity. Face validity examines whether the questionnaire appears to measure what it is intended to measure. One way is through "Cognitive interviews". Though there are many ways to do this, the "Verbal probing technique" is one interesting way. To assess the respondent's interpretation of the scale, the researcher asks them to read the scale aloud and then asks clarifying questions to get an idea if the person has interpreted the scale the way it is intended to. Modifications are made to the scales based on the responses.

1. Define/explain terms: If you must use technical or industry-specific terms, provide clear definitions or explanations 2. Use simple language: Opt for plain and straightforward language in your questions. Avoid unnecessary complexity 3. Test with non-experts: Before finalising, test it with people who are not familiar with the subject matter to check their understanding 4. Avoid abbreviations: Limit the use of abbreviations or acronyms. If using provide full explanations the first time they are used 5. Keep questions concise: Short, to-the-point questions are easier to understand. 6. Pilot testing: Before distributing, conduct pilot testing to gather feedback on clarity & comprehension 7. Edit and simplify: Regularly review & edit

To create jargon-free market research questionnaires follow my 11 steps that I follow each time: 1. Understand your audience's familiarity with the subject. 2. Use simple, clear, and everyday language. 3. Avoid acronyms and provide definitions if needed. 4. Pilot test with a small sample to gather feedback and refine questions where needed. 5. Bring your questions to life, make them relatable. 6. Confirm understanding with follow-up questions. 7. Be specific and avoid vagueness. 8. Simplify continuously! 9. Seek input from non-experts to ensure clarity. 10. Craft questions focused on research objectives. 11. Don't assume prior knowledge; make questions universally understandable.

Imagine asking the series of questions to someone who is not part of the industry and how would they answer it - would they need time to process or be able to answer immediately - akin to a casual conversation. This immediately helps to relook and judge your own work and its effectiveness.