Study design
Build a clear guide, capture measured answers, and check the journey before fieldwork.
Start with the decision
Describe what the research should change: a product choice, a price, a message or a better understanding of behavior. Keep that decision visible as you write the guide. Choose interviews, structured questions or a combination to suit it.
You can add context documents and import supported briefs. Review the extracted content and question mapping. Treat imported material as context unless it is explicitly part of a reviewed respondent dataset.
Choose questions and measures
| Question | Use it for |
|---|---|
| Open question | Experiences, reasons and concrete examples. |
| Single or multiple choice | Explicit selections from a defined set. |
| Rating or numeric | A measured answer with a defined range and unit. |
| Ranking or MaxDiff | Relative priorities across items. |
| Concept or pricing task | A comparison or price exercise with a specified design. |
Keep scales consistent and label their endpoints. A respondent's selected rating is a measure; a sentiment inferred from their words is an interpretation. Keep the two separate.
Check routing and presentation
- Screen for eligibility without revealing the preferred answer.
- Check every branch, screen-out and required question in preview.
- Use randomization deliberately. Pin options such as None of these when needed.
- For concepts, check the image or media, exposure order and which respondents see each item.
- Keep interview probes neutral and tied to the current question.
A preview checks the experience. It does not establish that your sample or method is valid.
Keep revisions clear
Review proposed edits before accepting them. A published instrument is a recorded revision of what respondents saw. If the guide changes during a project, preserve the earlier revision and assess comparability before pooling answers.
A short pilot is useful for spotting confusing wording, missing answers and unexpected routing. Correct the draft and review the new journey before continuing.