Successful transport decision-making - Osmose

FS 48: Questionnaire surveys
Vol 2 - Table of Contents
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T15
What are questionnaire surveys?
A questionnaire survey typically consists of a set of questions
which a sample of the population are asked to respond to. The
type of survey will depend on what information and data is
required for the project. ‘Open surveys’ consist of questions
which do not have a set of predetermined answers, providing
more detailed, varied and often unexpected responses. This
method is useful when detailed information on people’s
opinions is required. ‘Closed surveys’ consist of multiple choice
questions, where the responses are already predetermined by
the survey designer. This method is more restrictive, however,
it is easier to conduct statistical analysis on the data from these
kinds of surveys. If information is required from a large number
of people, ‘closed’ surveys may be more appropriate because
they will be less costly and time consuming to administer.
How can questionnaire surveys be
carried out?
The following techniques can be used for administering
questionnaire surveys:
Mail (the questionnaire is sent through the post and
respondents are asked to return it, usually in prepaid
envelopes);
Telephone (survey questions are asked over the
phone);
Face-to-face (e.g. on a street, shopping centre or
door-to-door); and
Email and websites (questionnaires can be sent
and returned over email or completed and
submitted on interactive web pages).
Why is a questionnaire useful?
Questionnaires are an effective method for collecting
information from a large number and a range of people,
including those who might not participate in other
engagement practices;
Completing questionnaires is typically less time consuming
for respondents compared to other techniques;
The results of ‘closed’ and structured questionnaires can
be used in the analysis of statistical relationships;
‘Before’ and ‘after’ questionnaires are useful for monitoring
and evaluating the effectiveness or success of projects or
measures;
Many people, including the community and elected
officials, might be more willing to accept/respond to survey
results compared to other techniques; and
Questionnaires can be used to identify individuals who are
willing to get involved further in the project.
When should a questionnaire survey
be used?
It is useful to undertake a questionnaire survey at the beginning
of a project to collect baseline data and to involve the community
in the project from the outset. Questionnaires might be one of
the key techniques used for obtaining people’s views and time
will need to be spent on designing a questionnaire which asks
appropriate and relevant questions. Questionnaires may also
need to be administered at the end of the project to obtain
information or views after a measure or change has been
implemented.
NOTES
It is a good idea to test or ‘pilot’ your questionnaire before
administering it to your whole sample population. The
questionnaires should be tested on enough people to ensure
that the structure and wording of the questions can be
understood easily.
A stakeholder questionnaire used in Madrid, Spain.
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