Survey Tools
Summary
As user experience research professionals, we have some specific requirements for survey tools that can complement but not be exactly the same as those of our market research colleagues. Come to this session, hosted by Surveys That Work author and acclaimed surveys expert Caroline Jarrett, to hear about how leading vendors help us to handle challenges such as integrating their panels with our user research panels, surveys that are associated with other types of research activity such as usability tests, and working with colleagues and respondents who have specific access needs. We’ll also learn from vendor Survicate about their vision for survey tools, and how their product helps put that vision into practice.
Key Insights
-
•
Survey tools now span a spectrum from simple form builders to integrated enterprise CX platforms.
-
•
Many survey tools have expanded beyond basic surveying into feedback loops, research repositories, and VOC platforms.
-
•
AI fundamentally improves analysis of open-text feedback by enabling theme detection and sentiment clustering at scale.
-
•
Continuous, contextual feedback gathering at multiple digital touchpoints is replacing ad-hoc one-off surveys.
-
•
Survey fatigue is a real and growing problem; tools and strategies like throttling and contextual targeting are needed.
-
•
Acting on feedback is the hardest but most important step, requiring cross-team alignment and system integrations.
-
•
Survey data acts as valuable zero-party data for personalized marketing communications.
-
•
Organizations are moving away from third-party CDPs toward owning and managing their customer data internally.
-
•
Micro-surveys (very short, context-triggered feedback) increase response rates and capture fresh impressions.
-
•
Survey methodologies should start with qualitative interviews before large quantitative surveys for effective question design.
Notable Quotes
"It's almost impossible to do a survey without using some kind of tool nowadays."
"There are over five hundred tools that call themselves survey software on G2, making it one of the largest software categories."
"Survey tools are no longer just survey tools; the boundaries between categories are increasingly blurry."
"Simplicity can be a differentiator, as shown by Tally, which gained traction as a free, easy form builder."
"Advanced logic, matrix questioning, AI survey design creation — these are baseline capabilities you should expect from any modern survey tool."
"Continuous feedback requires collecting responses tied to the same user across multiple channels with behavioral targeting."
"AI changes everything in unstructured data analysis; before it was painful manual work, now it's automated theme detection and clustering."
"The hardest part is acting on feedback, which requires integrating tools and aligning multiple teams like research, product, marketing, and customer success."
"Survey data should be treated as zero-party data that fuels personalized communications and lifecycle marketing."
"The key to combating survey fatigue is short surveys triggered at the right context, making respondents feel listened to and valued."
Or choose a question:
More Videos
"You don’t feel like it’s a huge corporate burden company, nor a crazy fast startup. It feels authentic and committed."
Kurdin Bazaz Liz Rytting Alex KarrCulture, DIBS & Recruiting
June 10, 2021
"It's not about hitting a specific NPS target but about improving from where we are now and tracking the trend."
Jack MoffettUX Metrics That Matter and The Future of our Design at Scale Conference: A Community Conversation
September 22, 2022
"When you add underinvestment, segregation, and poverty, you have a recipe for disaster."
Kyria Stephens Marlon KernerPower to Heal: Civic Design in the Aftermath of Tragedy
November 17, 2022
"Design has to be fast, accessible, actionable, and intuitive, whereas science is often slow and hard to act on."
Lin NieWhen Thought-worlds Collide: Collaborating Between Research and Practice
March 10, 2021
"SSML is huge for advancing bot voice; tone and cadence carry more meaning than words alone."
Greg NudelmanDesigning Conversational Interfaces
November 14, 2019
"Democratization is becoming more of an umbrella term with different customers using it to mean very different things."
Trisha TerharEmpathizing with the Empowered: Non-Researcher Responses to Democratization
March 10, 2022
"Governance is not policing; we're here to help you create the best experience and save time."
Charles Lee Jennie YipBuilding a New Home for the Atlassian Design System
October 22, 2020
"Someone who thinks a study will run perfectly every time probably isn’t very experienced or realistic."
Steve Portigal Susan Simon-Daniels Tamara Hale Randolph Duke IIWar Stories LIVE! Q&A-Discussion
March 30, 2020
"Go meet someone new at this conference and set up a coffee chat next week."
Deanna Washington Bria Alexander Jon Fukuda Saara Kamppari-Miller Farid SabitovConnecting the Ops: Plenary Panel and Closing Circle
September 9, 2022
Latest Books All books
Dig deeper with the Rosenbot
How have historical paradigm shifts affected the availability of midwifery care in the US?
How have changes in communication technologies historically affected collective knowledge building, and what might AI's role be?
What are best practices for engaging C-suite executives and physicians as champions for B2B healthcare apps?