How to Write Good Survey Questions
- Roseanna Galindo, CCBA, CAVS
- Oct 20
- 5 min read
Surveys are one of the most accessible and cost-effective tools leaders have to gather insights. They help us understand volunteer experiences, measure program impact, and guide strategic decisions. But not all surveys are created equal. The effectiveness of a survey depends largely on how well its questions are designed and how clearly they connect back to the audience you are asking.
In my work developing the Volunteer Satisfaction Index (VSI), a globally validated tool used to measure volunteer engagement, I learned firsthand how critical question design is. Subtle shifts in wording can change the entire meaning of a question, and overlooking how respondents interpret your questions can leave you with data that doesn’t tell the story you need.
So how do you design a survey that produces clear, reliable, and actionable results? It begins with understanding the role of surveys as a tool for audience analysis and then selecting the right mix of question types. These question types are fundamental in understanding how to write good survey questions that will elicit the information you need to make confident data-driven decisions.
Why Surveys Matter: Audience Analysis at Scale
At their core, surveys are a way to analyze your audience. They allow you to systematically collect information from a large group in a structured and standardized format, producing data you can summarize, compare, and trend over time.
In practice, that means you can gather key audience analysis inputs at scale:
Demographic data – Age, role, level of authority, or even job-related characteristics such as shift or reporting structure.
Psychographic data – Attitudes, motivations, and values that explain why people feel or act the way they do.
Situational factors – Time available, channel preferences, and context that shape how respondents experience the survey and how results should later be communicated.
This is the “why” behind surveys: they equip you with the insights you need to tailor programs, messaging, and strategy to the people you serve. The best audience analysis tools for your data storytelling help you understand a variety of aspects that impact communication. That’s why writing survey questions should be rooted in good audience analysis practices.
The Three Types of Survey Questions
Once you’ve defined your purpose and considered your audience, the next step is to select the right mix of question types.
Each type of survey questions has distinct strengths and limitations. Let's look at each type in the context of a nonprofit organization creating a volunteer recruitment survey for newly onboarded volunteers.
Fixed-Alternative Type Survey Questions
This type of survey question offer respondents a set menu of answers.
Example:
Which of the following was most important in your choice to volunteer? (Select the one best choice)
_Friendship/Belonging
_Meaning/Purpose
_Fame/Fortune
Strengths: Clear, unambiguous, and easy to analyze and visualize.
Limitations: Can feel superficial and may miss nuance.
Pro Tip: Always include an “Other” or “Not sure” option to capture perspectives that don’t fit neatly into your categories. A increase in outliers may mean you are missing a key motivation you would would otherwise not discover.
Scale Type Survey Questions
These questions ask respondents to rate their attitudes along a continuum.
Example:
How important was Friendship/Belonging in your decision to volunteer? (Scale: 5=Very important - 1=Very unimportant)
Strengths: Captures the degree of an attitude, not just its presence.
Limitations: Without a midpoint, results can skew; odd-numbered scales work best.
Pro Tip: Use scale questions when you want to understand strength of feeling rather than just yes/no or categorical data. Always use an odd number to allow for a neutral mid-point.
Open-Ended Type Survey Questions
These questions give respondents space to respond in their own words.
Example:
What was the most important consideration for you when deciding to volunteer?
Strengths: Produces rich, detailed insights you may not have anticipated.
Limitations: More difficult to analyze, especially at scale.
Pro Tip: Limit open-ended questions to one or two per survey. That way, you gather valuable depth without causing fatigue.
How to Put Questions Together to Write a Good Survey
The best surveys use a blend of all three question types. Avoid lengthy surveys and keep the focus narrow.
For example, a short “pulse
check” survey might include:
Two fixed-alternative questions to establish baseline knowledge or involvement.
Two to three scale questions to measure strength of attitudes.
One to two open-ended questions to uncover richer insights.
This mix balances clarity, depth, and brevity—keeping respondents engaged while giving you actionable data.
While generating quick in-house surveys for pulse checks or operational decision-making can be useful, measuring broader, more abstract constructs—like volunteer satisfaction—requires a validated instrument.
Measuring constructs like volunteer satisfaction requires a validated instrument.
Creating a homegrown version without proven psychometric properties can lead to unreliable or misleading results. For these deeper insights, it’s best to use a tool that has already undergone rigorous testing for validity and reliability, such as the VSI.
The Volunteer Satisfaction Instrument is available from PeriscopeBPA for a small licensing fee. You can learn more about the VSI, its history and development, and licensing options by picking up a copy of the VSI User Guide. It includes a review copy of the complete survey.
Summary
Surveys are more than just forms—they’re conversations at scale.
Done well, they give voice to the people you serve and provide leaders with insights to act on. By grounding your design in audience analysis, applying best practices, and carefully balancing fixed-alternative, scale, and open-ended questions, you can build surveys that drive data-driven decision-making.
If you’re looking to move beyond checkboxes and capture the real impact of your programs, start with your audience, choose your questions wisely, and remember: learning how to write good survey questions can make all the difference.
Want more tips on how to communicate data effectively? Browse our latest data communication and storytelling articles or explore the Data Storytelling Essentials on-demand programs for hands-on learning tools you can use today.
---
If you have found this article insightful, please share on social to help other like-minded business leaders to find their way here.
Comment. Share. Like. Subscribe. Thank you!
Roseanna Galindo is Principal at Periscope Business Process Analysis, specializing in organizational learning and development. She is dedicated to advancing data literacy, enhancing healthcare experiences, and empowering nonprofit leaders.
Explore Roseanna’s expertise and insights on her blog, The Periscope Insighter, starting with the opening post.
Roseanna offers a range of professional development services, including training workshops, keynote speaking, and executive coaching.
Visit PeriscopeBPA.com for more information or click on the button below to schedule a time to talk
Comments