Questionnaires And Surveys
Questionnaires and surveys are elicitation techniques that involve written sets of questions aimed at accumulating information rapidly from a broad range of respondents. These tools are highly scalable, capable of reaching a large, geographically dispersed population at relatively low cost. They are particularly useful for stakeholder analysis, where you can collect data to establish or maintain a stakeholder list.
Key Advantages
Scalability: The ability to collect data from a large number of people, even if they are widely dispersed geographically.
Cost-Effectiveness: Relatively low expenses are involved, especially when digital tools are used.
Anonymity: Offers respondents the comfort of anonymity, potentially leading to more honest responses.
Standardization: All respondents answer the same questions, aiding comparability.
Key Concerns
Lack of Clarification: There's no immediate way to clarify questions or answers, which could lead to misinterpretation.
Closed-Ended Questions: The responses might be limited by the nature of the questions, affecting the richness of the data.
Low Response Rate: Insufficient responses can affect the reliability of the data. Low response rates of around 4-7% are not uncommon within organizations.
Sampling Bias: Results may be skewed if only those with extreme opinions respond, thereby not representing the broader stakeholder community.
Risk Mitigation Strategies
Sample Size Calculation: Utilize a sample size calculator to ascertain the number of responses needed for statistical significance.
Question Design: Craft questions carefully to be clear and unambiguous.
Incentives: Offer small incentives to encourage participation.
Follow-Up: A reminder can help boost response rates.
Pilot Testing: Perform a pilot test to refine questions and ensure clarity.
Practical Applications
Stakeholder Analysis: Surveys can provide valuable data for stakeholder listing and categorization.
Requirement Prioritization: Surveys can be used to gain consensus on the importance of various requirements.
Market Research: Surveys can help assess market demand or user preferences, which can inform the Business Case.
Questionnaires and surveys serve as robust tools for data gathering in business analysis. However, to yield meaningful results, these tools require careful planning, sound design, and thoughtful analysis, particularly to ensure that the gathered data will sufficiently inform the decision-making process.