| It’s funny how work and life connect in the most unexpected ways. Are you familiar with the New York Times puzzle Connections? It’s a favorite of mine. In this daily puzzle, you’re given 16 words and have four chances to find four groups of four items that share something in common. Imagine my surprise when one of these puzzles contained a research thread. No spoilers; this one was a few weeks ago, but it got me thinking about how the world sees research respondents, how they may see themselves, and how that affects the research itself. With words like guinea pig, participant, subject, and volunteer being the connected words for the first and easiest thread of “one in a research study,’ I think we as researchers have some work to do. Here’s how I recommend optimizing the respondent experience, leading to better research. |  |
1. Humanize panelists.
The Connections puzzle zeros in on the common vernacular used when thinking of respondents. While it’s technically accurate that they are panelists or participants, etc., that’s not all that they are. They are people whose insights and experiences we highly value and rely on to inform our research. With something as simple as thinking of and referring to them as consumers or decision makers, we’re humanizing them not only in our minds as researchers but shifting their perceptions as well, thereby enhancing their respondent experience.
2. Optimize survey design
How often do you put yourself in the respondent’s shoes when designing research surveys? We should do this with each and every survey. Because if you don’t want to take the survey they likely won’t either. To that end, make sure your surveys are visually pleasing, not too long, and have fewer open ends. This all goes together to make the respondent experience more engaging and less time-consuming.
3. Meet your respondents where they are.
This means first in terms of understanding your respondents, who they are, and the best way to reach them. Once you know that, you can then meet them where they are by designing research surveys for the device your respondents will be using. For example, if you’re conducting B2B research, your respondents will likely be on the computer all day. If you’re trying to reach young men and women in your research, your surveys will need to be designed for the best mobile experience.
4. Give them a reason why.
Context is more important than you may realize when it comes to the respondent experience. Again, put yourself in their shoes. From interest in a particular research survey to a better understanding of the nuances of what’s being asked, sharing the reason why you’re doing your research makes the research process more of a collaboration and can help the respondent feel more invested.
5. Remember that panelists have signed up.
The reality is that consumers rarely take research surveys for truly altruistic reasons. This is particularly the case with respondents who’ve signed up for online panels. That is important to keep in mind not only when considering their responses but also when it comes to incentives. If you pay too much, you could get more fraud, and paying too little leaves you with low response rates. We like to think of that balance in between as the ‘Goldilocks spot.’
Let’s be honest, we benefit from making the effort to deliver a better survey experience. We keep response rates higher, which lowers costs. Engaged respondents keep taking surveys, making recruiting easier. And most importantly, we get better data! So, it is definitely worth the effort to improve the experience for our respondents.
What are your tips for improving the respondent experience? Without using the word respondent!! Let us know and we’ll share the responses on our LinkedIn.
Need help with optimizing the respondent experience for your market research project? We have the expertise and the experience to make sure your research is the best! Contact Ellen Pieper, Chief Client Officer, Ellen_Pieper@researchresults.com, or 919-368-5819 today.