5. Best Practices for Formulating Your Own Questions

Consider what type of question you want to ask. GAIS offers three types:

1. Multiple choice

2. Scale questions (0–10)

3. Open-ended (free text)

How do I add my own questions in the GAIS platform? Read the guide here.

1. Multiple Choice Questions

A multiple choice question is a type where the participant selects one or more answers from a predefined list of options. The list could, for example, include options like yes/no/don’t know or never/rarely/sometimes/often/always.

Choose multiple choice if:

• The possible answers are known and can be covered by a list.
• You want to limit the participant’s response to specific options.

Best practices for formulating multiple choice questions:

• Be clear and concise: Write the question so the participant immediately understands what is being asked.
• One question at a time: Avoid combining multiple questions or topics in one sentence.
• Cover all relevant options: Ensure the answers include the most likely responses for your audience.
• Avoid overlap: Each answer should be unique, so the participant is not unsure which fits best.
• Use a logical order: Arrange answers systematically (e.g., alphabetically, chronologically, or by frequency).
• Consider an “Other” / “Don’t know” option: To capture responses that don’t fit the provided choices.
• Keep language neutral: Avoid leading words that may influence the participant’s answer.

2. Scale Questions

Scale questions (0–10) allow participants to rate a question on a numeric scale from 0 to 10, where 0 usually represents the lowest or worst and 10 the highest or best. In GAIS, we use the scale: 0 = not at all, 10 = to a very high degree.

Choose scale questions if:

• You want to measure the degree of satisfaction or experience.
• You want the possibility for detailed analysis and comparison of answers.
• You want to calculate averages, variation, or trends over time.
• You want consistency with the questions in the engagement survey.

Best practices for formulating scale questions:

• Be clear about the meaning of the scale: Specify what 0 and 10 represent (e.g., “0 = not at all, 10 = to a very high degree”).
• Use consistent labels across all scale questions (e.g., not at all / to a very high degree) to avoid confusion.
• Be consistent in wording: The question should match the chosen labels (e.g., not at all / to a very high degree).
• Frame questions positively: A high score should represent a positive response (e.g., “Do you feel that we work seriously on engagement?” → high score = positive).
• Use “you” form: Phrase questions in the second person to align with other GAIS questions.
• One question at a time: Ask about only one aspect per scale for precise answers (e.g., “Do you feel your manager has an appreciative approach?” instead of “Do you feel your manager and colleagues have an appreciative approach?”).
• Avoid ambiguous wording: Make the question clear so everyone understands it the same way.
• Keep language neutral: Avoid leading words that may influence the participant’s answer.

3. Free Text

Open-ended questions allow participants to write their answers in their own words, without choosing from predefined options.

Choose free text questions if:

• You want to collect qualitative comments, ideas, or explanations.
• The possible answers cannot be covered by fixed options.
• You want deeper insights or nuances not captured by scales or multiple choice.

Best practices for formulating free text questions:

• Be clear and concise: Write the question so the participant immediately understands what is being asked.
• Avoid leading questions: Phrase questions neutrally so the participant is not influenced.
• Keep it manageable: Very long or complex questions may reduce responses; consider providing examples in the help text.