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Online Surveys: Approach, Issues and Challenges

Online Surveys: Approach, Issues and Challenges. Mohini Singh PhD School of BIT. Online Surveys. Supported by technology (Internet) Quick Convenient (24*7) Reach – respondents at greater distances Cost savings – postage and printing Responses (submitted forms) Downloaded to a database

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Online Surveys: Approach, Issues and Challenges

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  1. Online Surveys: Approach, Issues and Challenges Mohini Singh PhD School of BIT

  2. Online Surveys • Supported by technology (Internet) • Quick • Convenient (24*7) • Reach – respondents at greater distances • Cost savings – postage and printing • Responses (submitted forms) • Downloaded to a database • Portable -Can be transferred across to statistical packages for analysis

  3. Questionnaire • HTML form • Sections - pages • Programmed so that the respondents cannot proceed unless they have provided a response to each question • Can include text boxes, drop down lists and radio buttons for responses • Include a tracking number • For respondents to continue at a later time/day • For researchers to identify the responses

  4. How to Setup Online Surveys • Off the shelf software • Professional Quest $1540 • Statpac US$495 • Host of others • Limitations • Limited statistical analysis ability of the off the shelf packages • Database issues • Consultants $55,000 • High costs • Programmers

  5. E-Business Evaluation Project • VRI Funding $12,000 • HTML forms developed by a Computer Science student $4,000 • Programmed in HTML, supported by PHP and MYSQL • Questionnaire – sections (pages), tracking number, instructions, easy to read, colour (pleasant & professional) • Hosted on RMIT server, supported by ITS $90 for 3 months

  6. Research • Industry database purchased via RMIT Library • Sent an email to 1,300 organisations • Emails bounced back = 400 • Auto responses = 15 • Company policy not to respond to surveys = 15

  7. Research cont… • Responses in 7 days = 17 • Reminder email in 2 weeks • Responses = 37

  8. Other responses • “My time is valuable - $75 per hour. Please don’t waste it unless you can pay for it”... • “Sorry I can receive your email, but I can’t access the website. In order to do that, we need to use a separate machine which is dedicated for the Internet use. Sorry I can’t help you.”…

  9. Other Responses cont… • “If you wish us to participate in a survey either put it in your email or attach it. We do not chase around strange websites” • “We do not wish to participate, kind regards” • “Thank you but we do not wish to participate. Please remove us from your mailing list/database.”

  10. Alternative • Postal questionnaire survey - hard copies • Outcome • Online responses increased to 97 • Returned hard copies = 115 • Analysis • Approx 23% responses

  11. Issues • Benefits - useful research tool • Database – out of date, expensive for accurate information • ‘Clicks’ – new & unproven, a lack of trust, not utilised to its full potential

  12. Challenges • Population – technology savvy people will use it, others are reluctant • Getting respondents to accept online questionnaires (first experience, unable to follow instructions, difficult to share information) • New medium – took longer than expected to set it up • For this project – implications for e-business a major concern

  13. Conclusion • In this case ‘paper and online forms’ were used to complete the research • It is assumed that online research will work well with • focus groups • with technology savvy people • for quick and short responses (market survey)

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