A question we often hear form our clients at the early stages of a research project is about their expected response rate. What response rate should we get? Is it enough? Is it better or worse than others? Should we give away a prize to insure a higher response rate?
Response rate is important. It tells us a lot about the target population’s attitude regarding the survey and their belief in our willingness to listen and take action. Response rate, however, is not as important as the number of responses. (more…)
This year PEG, Ltd. and the Alumni Attitude Study will be featured at the CASE Summit 2010 Conference in New York City, July 18-20. We are proud to have the opportunity to showcase our national research and share data from over 150 colleges and universities from across the country. We will host an exhibitor booth (#23) in the Salon and will be co-presenting on Sunday from 1-2:15 pm on the topic Re-envisioning Alumni Associations for the 21st Century, with colleagues from the University of Tennessee Alumni Association, Johnson Strategic Communication, and The Napa Group. (more…)
Please help us have a better session at the CASE Summit this year in New York. Our session, Re-envisioning Alumni Associations for the 21st Century, will be from 1:00PM to 2:15PM on Sunday July 18. As part of the discussion, we have opened a page at: http://alumniattitudestudy.org/summit10/ where we talk about the issues, provide some reading material, and ask several questions. Please help us by taking a few minutes to answer the questions and join in on this conversation about planning and taking action from those plans. We promise to respond to your post and to provide anybody that posts a comment a brief of the presentation and what was covered during the session. (more…)
These principles need to be the foundation of the survey project, from designing the questions to taking action on the findings.
Many people start by thinking about the questions they want to ask rather than thinking about what they hope to achieve by conducting the survey. Good survey processes and questionnaires start with a clear understanding of the following five operational guideposts:
1.      “Begin with the end in mind.” Know what results you’re looking for; and what you want to do with the results. Question design and structure make a huge difference in allowing for insightful analysis, but only when they are correctly drafted in the first place. (more…)
Two-way Communicating
A survey process is generally viewed as a one-way communications device. Clearly a survey is asking for input/feedback – one direction. But, a survey is really a dialog – two-way communication.
The dialog begins with questions. The very act of asking specific questions sets context and establishes expectations; expectations which must be addressed through the complete communication cycle. With most survey initiatives the dialog abruptly – and regrettably – stops when the questions get answered. This is a serious mistake.
You take a positive, bold step when you ask your alumni to critique your institution. You bolster the alumni relationship further when you show them you heard what they had to say. You seal the relationship when you show your alumni that their input drives the decisions you make. (more…)
