How can you design questions that remain sensitive to changes over time?

1 Use simple and precise language

The first rule of question design is to use simple and precise language. Avoid jargon, slang, acronyms, and technical terms that your respondents may not understand or interpret differently. Use words that are common, familiar, and easy to read. Also, avoid vague or ambiguous terms that can lead to confusion or multiple interpretations. For example, instead of asking "How often do you use our product?" ask "How many times did you use our product in the past week?"

2 Avoid leading or loaded questions

The second rule of question design is to avoid leading or loaded questions. These are questions that suggest a desired answer, imply a judgment, or evoke an emotional response. They can introduce bias and influence the respondents' answers. For example, instead of asking "How satisfied are you with our excellent service?" ask "How satisfied are you with our service?" Similarly, avoid questions that contain assumptions, exaggerations, or negatives. For example, instead of asking "Why don't you like our new feature?" ask "What are your thoughts on our new feature?"

3 Use appropriate scales and categories

The third rule of question design is to use appropriate scales and categories. These are the options that you provide to your respondents to answer your questions. They can be numerical, ordinal, nominal, or interval. The choice of scale or category depends on the type and level of measurement that you want to achieve. For example, if you want to measure the frequency of a behavior, you can use a numerical scale (e.g., 1-5 times). If you want to measure the preference of a product, you can use an ordinal scale (e.g., very likely, somewhat likely, etc.). If you want to measure the characteristics of a group, you can use a nominal scale (e.g., male, female, etc.). If you want to measure the difference between two points, you can use an interval scale (e.g., 10-point Likert scale).

4 Test and revise your questions

The fourth rule of question design is to test and revise your questions. Before you launch your survey, you should test your questions with a small sample of your target population. This will help you identify any problems or errors in your questions, such as ambiguity, bias, difficulty, or irrelevance. You can also ask for feedback from your testers on how they understood and answered your questions. Based on the results and feedback, you should revise your questions to improve their clarity, accuracy, and relevance.

5 Monitor and update your questions

The fifth rule of question design is to monitor and update your questions. Even after you launch your survey, you should keep track of the responses and the data quality. You should look for any patterns or trends that indicate changes in your respondents' behavior, preferences, or opinions. You should also look for any gaps or inconsistencies in your data that suggest missing or inaccurate information. Based on your findings, you should update your questions to reflect the current situation and needs of your target audience.

6 Use open-ended questions sparingly

The sixth rule of question design is to use open-ended questions sparingly. Open-ended questions are questions that allow your respondents to answer in their own words, without any predefined options. They can provide rich and detailed insights, but they also have some drawbacks. They can be time-consuming and difficult to answer, especially in online surveys. They can also be challenging and costly to analyze, as they require coding and categorizing. Therefore, you should use open-ended questions only when you need to explore a topic in depth, or when you cannot anticipate all the possible answers.