5. Best Practices for Formulating Your Own Survey 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

Multiple choice is a question type in which the participant selects an answer from a predefined list of options. The list may, for example, consist of options such as yes/no/don’t know or never/rarely/sometimes/often/always. Participants can be given the option to select either one answer (single choice) or multiple answers (multiple choice).

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:

• .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.

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.

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:

• 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.
• Seek constructive feedback: Encourage participants to suggest how something can be improved rather than only pointing out challenges.

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