User Surveys

To learn more about users and their use of and opinions about an application or website, TecEd conducts online user surveys. The surveys typically include both closed-ended (multiple-choice) questions and open-ended questions. The survey may also include a task-based component, where users go to a website and perform tasks, then return to the survey questionnaire and answer questions.

A survey can help us learn what users do and their opinions. We learn less about why users do what they do or the reasons for their opinions, because we cannot probe on vague responses. However, we typically include an option for direct follow-up with a limited number of respondents to drill down responses and gain clarification

A user survey is often part of a multi-phase user research process. It can serve to explore and illuminate issues for further study, or it can serve to validate the existence and severity of issues that have emerged through prior, in-depth research.