These principles need to be the foundation of your survey project
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.
2.      Everything needs to be actionable. Some questions like “overall opinion of the institution?” are not actionable on their face but are critical to very actionable inferential analysis.
3.      Make sure the process facilitates prioritizing opportunities. It is unlikely that you will find out things that are totally surprising. The power is in helping you pick those things to do that will have the most impact/benefit.
4.      Avoid compound questions or questions that confuse the point. One issue per question is not only a good rule of thumb; it is critical to meaningful analysis.
5.      Make sure the effort is part of your Alumni Partnership. You are asking them what is most important to them, their opinion. Make sure you carefully deploy your brand as part of the process.
When you launch a survey you are entering into a conversation with your alumni. Let them know that their opinion matters to the institution by using a high-quality process/instrument. Conducting a study of this nature is more than just an assessment; it’s also a great communication piece to allow your alumni to voice their opinion on things the institution does well and those areas where the institution can improve.
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