How Different Types of Survey Questions Drive Business Outcomes

When creating an assessment, did you know there are many different types of survey questions you can use? The key is to find which question format works best for reaching your business goals! Do you want to learn more about the value you bring to your clients? Are you looking to generate new leads?

Luckily, different question formats can help you reach all of these goals, and with Agolix’s customizable assessments, you can create a powerful tool for your business.

Want to cut to the chase and see Agolix’s question formats in action? Try our question format demo assessment to see all of our question types. Come back here or head to our user guide for all the details.

Digging Deeper into Question Formats: 

The first step in using an assessment to reach your business goals is to understand the different question formats that are out there and their benefits. No matter what type of question you want to ask, Agolix by Assessment Generator has you covered. Here are the main types of survey questions you can choose from with Agolix: 

• Drop-Down Questions
• Binary Questions (Y/N, T/F, etc.)
• Scale Questions
• Options Questions
• Checkbox Questions
• Narrative Questions
• Numeric Entry Questions
• Validated Text Entry
• Ranking Questions

Read on to learn more about each type of question format and its benefits.

Drop-Down Questions

This question format typically presents a list of predefined answer options, and respondents are required to select one option from the provided list. The drop-down format enhances the efficiency of data collection by streamlining response options and maintaining consistency in the format.

Businesses can leverage drop-down questions in assessments to gather targeted information in a variety of contexts, such as customer surveys, employee evaluations, or market research.

Learn more about Drop-Down Questions.

Binary Questions

Binary questions are answered with two opposite choices – think yes or no questions or true/false. If you’re looking to give clients or employees an assessment that is quick and straightforward to take, this is a great option. 

Binary questions provide very stark answers and separations of data – allowing you to gather clear insights and respond accordingly with ease.

Learn more about Binary Questions

Scale Questions

Scale questions are when you answer a question using a number on a scale. “From a scale of 1-10” is a popular version of this question format. You can choose whatever number range you like, though many popular options are 1-5 and 1-10. 

If you’re working with employees, you might ask, “On a scale of 1-10, how would you rate the culture here?” As a coach, you can ask clients, “On a scale of 1-5, how comfortable do you feel with X skill?”

Then – share your valuable knowledge and recommendations so they can reach the top of each scale thanks to you!

Learn more about Scale Questions

Options Questions

The Option question format is also known as a multiple-choice question format. This question type has respondents choose from a list of possible answers or options. You can configure an options question to accept a single response or multiple responses (select all that apply). You can even limit the maximum number of responses selected.

If you’re a business coach helping people to hone in on what they’re most passionate about, you could ask them how they love to spend their free time.

Options questions are our most flexible question format. In a Type or Multi-type assessment, you can assign points from different options to different types and even assign points from the same option to more than one type. Our user guide has all the details.

Checkbox Questions

This question format is exactly what it sounds like – a checkbox! It’s the same principle as a binary (yes/no) question, presented as a selectable checkbox.

In this format, each question or statement corresponds to a single checkbox, enabling a more straightforward and focused response. As a business leader, you can utilize checkbox questions to gather feedback from employees or partners. Pose specific questions, such as asking them what they appreciate about working with your company or inquiring about the services they use the most. Additionally, you can explore potential areas for improvement by asking what services they wish you offered.

Note that if you want a list of checkboxes and have the respondent select all that apply, it’s best to use an options question instead.

Learn more about Checkbox Questions.

Narrative Questions

Given that it is so open, a narrative question format cannot be scored or assigned to types. That said, this is one of the most unbiased formats of question to use, as the answer is completely up to who is answering it! 

This format is great for collecting qualitative information and giving you valuable information to go back and analyze. You could ask for a paragraph on what a potential client is looking for in a coach. Now, you can decide if your services line up and you’d be a good fit.

Learn more about Narrative Questions.

Numeric Entry Questions

The numeric entry question format, similar to the narrative, cannot be scored or assigned to types. They can, however, be used in math calculations and merge codes.

This format is especially useful for collecting numbers, dates, ages, phone numbers, etc. 

Learn more about Numeric Entry Questions.

Validated Text Questions

Are you still with us? We’re in the home stretch! 

Validated text question formats must be answered in a certain way. For example, “What is your email address?” must be answered with a valid “@” in it, and so on. 

These questions are also not scored and used mainly for qualitative and demographic information. You can also select “none” for the validation type to create a single-line text entry field for short responses instead of the text box that the Narrative question provides.

Learn more about Validated Text Questions.

Ranking Questions

Ranking questions are answered by arranging items according to preference. This format can be scored and assigned to a type. These are great for seeing where someone’s preferences lie on a list of options or ranking their perceived abilities.

You can provide tailored feedback and recommendations from these rankings, showcasing your expertise.

Learn more about Ranking Questions.

Reaching business goals with different types of survey questions

Whether you are crafting your own questions to increase engagement or utilizing AI for some creative support, the opportunities are endless! Are you ready to get started with all of the various question formats available to you with Agolix? Click here today!