UR
Surveys
A practical research method for collecting structured feedback at scale.
How to use surveys to measure attitudes, sentiment, and self-reported behaviour across a broad audience.
Quick take
If you need to gather feedback from a large number of users quickly, use surveys.
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What it is
Surveys are a UX serviceUser ResearchUnderstand user behaviour, validate ideas, and make clearer product decisions with evidence you can act on.Open service method used to collect structured glossaryFeedbackFeedback is the system response that informs users about the result of their actions. It helps users understand what has happened and what to do next.Open glossary term from users through a set of predefined questions.
They can be delivered through various glossaryChannelA channel is a source or pathway through which users arrive at a product, such as search, social media, paid ads, or direct traffic.Open glossary term such as email, in-product glossaryPromptA prompt is the input or instruction given to an AI system to guide its output or response.Open glossary term, or website pop-ups, and typically combine quantitative and qualitative glossaryResponseA response is the data or result returned by a server after receiving a request.Open glossary term.
Unlike interviews, which are deep and exploratory, surveys are broad and scalable. They allow you to gather glossaryDataData is raw information collected and stored for analysis, processing, or decision-making.Open glossary term from a large audience and identify glossaryPatternA reusable solution to a common design problem.Open glossary term across glossaryResponseA response is the data or result returned by a server after receiving a request.Open glossary term.
The goal is to measure attitudes, perceptions, satisfaction, and self-reported glossaryBehaviourBehaviour refers to how users interact with a system, including actions, patterns, and responses.Open glossary term at scale.
Surveys are useful when you need breadth, comparability, and scale rather than deep one-to-one context.
When to use it
Use this method when you need input from a large number of users.
It is most useful when:
It is less useful when:
Surveys are often used alongside interviews and analytics to combine scale with depth.
Key takeaway
Use surveys when the question is broad enough to benefit from scale and structured enough to be answered consistently.
How to run it
Set up properly.
Before you start, be clear on what you want to learn, who you are targeting, and how the survey will be delivered.
Keep surveys focused. More questions do not mean better glossaryInsightAn insight is a meaningful understanding that explains why something is happening and what it means.Open glossary term.
Run the method.
Surveys should be structured and easy to complete.
Write clear, unbiased questions. Use a mix of closed and open-ended questions. Keep the survey short and relevant. Distribute through appropriate glossaryChannelA channel is a source or pathway through which users arrive at a product, such as search, social media, paid ads, or direct traffic.Open glossary term. Monitor glossaryResponseA response is the data or result returned by a server after receiving a request.Open glossary term rates and completion.
Focus on glossaryClarityClarity is how easily users can understand what is happening and what they need to do.Open glossary term and simplicity.
Capture and make sense of it.
The value comes from identifying glossaryPatternA reusable solution to a common design problem.Open glossary term across glossaryResponseA response is the data or result returned by a server after receiving a request.Open glossary term.
Look across glossaryDataData is raw information collected and stored for analysis, processing, or decision-making.Open glossary term to identify trends in glossaryResponseA response is the data or result returned by a server after receiving a request.Open glossary term, common themes in open-ended answers, differences between user groups, and strong glossarySignalsSignals are data points or triggers that indicate changes in user behaviour, context, or external factors.Open glossary term or outliers.
Use this to inform decisions and glossaryPrioritisationPrioritisation is the process of ranking tasks, features, or initiatives based on their importance, impact, and effort.Open glossary term.
What to look for
Focus on:
Where it goes wrong
Most issues come from:
What users say is not always what they do.
What you get from it
Done properly, this method gives you:
Key takeaway
It helps you understand how users feel at scale.
Get in touch
If this sounds like something you need, we can help you design surveys that get meaningful glossaryResponseA response is the data or result returned by a server after receiving a request.Open glossary term and actionable glossaryInsightAn insight is a meaningful understanding that explains why something is happening and what it means.Open glossary term.
No guesswork. No assumptions. Just clear glossaryInsightAn insight is a meaningful understanding that explains why something is happening and what it means.Open glossary term you can act on.
FAQ
Common questions
A few practical answers to the questions that usually come up around this method.
What are surveys in UX?
Surveys are a method used to collect structured glossaryFeedbackFeedback is the system response that informs users about the result of their actions. It helps users understand what has happened and what to do next.Open glossary term from users through predefined questions.
When should you use surveys?
Use them when gathering glossaryFeedbackFeedback is the system response that informs users about the result of their actions. It helps users understand what has happened and what to do next.Open glossary term from a large audience or measuring satisfaction.
What types of questions should surveys include?
A mix of closed questions for measurement and open-ended questions for glossaryInsightAn insight is a meaningful understanding that explains why something is happening and what it means.Open glossary term.
Are surveys reliable?
They are useful for glossaryPatternA reusable solution to a common design problem.Open glossary term and trends, but should be combined with other methods.
What tools are used for surveys?
Tools such as Typeform, SurveyMonkey, Google Forms, and Qualtrics are commonly used.