- Ruth Kogan
- 2 days ago
- 5 min read
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A questionnaire is a powerful tool for collecting organized information from a specific group of people. Instead of guessing what your audience thinks, you can use a series of well-crafted questions to gather consistent data for market research, a marketing strategy, academic studies or customer feedback.
This guide will show you how to build a questionnaire that's clear, effective and gets you the answers you need. You'll learn how to structure your questions and design a flow that encourages people to complete it, turning raw data into valuable insights.
TL;DR: How to make a questionnaire
Building a questionnaire should be a very structured process designed to collect standardized data. Here’s a quick overview of the essential steps to get you started.
Step | Action | Why it matters |
| Set a clear research objective. | Ensures every question has a purpose. |
| Pick a form builder like Wixel. | Provides a professional and user-friendly platform. |
| Write clear, unbiased questions. | Leads to accurate and reliable data collection. |
| Organize questions logically. | Prevents confusion and improves completion rates. |
| Run a pilot test with a small group. | Helps you find and fix problems before launch. |
| Share with your target audience. | Puts your questionnaire in front of the right people. |
How to make a questionnaire in 6 steps
A successful questionnaire is more than a simple list of questions; it’s a carefully designed instrument for data collection. Follow these six steps to create one tha's both effective and easy for respondents to navigate.
01. Define your research objective
Before you even think about questions, you must have a crystal-clear goal that you want to achieve. What specific information are you trying to gather?
Its important because your objective guides the entire process. A well-defined goal might be:
To measure employee satisfaction with our new remote work policy or,
To understand customer purchasing habits for our new product line."
This central objective acts as your North Star. Every single question in your questionnaire should directly contribute to answering it. If a question doesn't serve that primary purpose, it’s probably unnecessary and can be removed. This focus respects the respondent's time and keeps your data clean.
Not sure what your goal is yet? Explore these questionnaire ideas and examples to get started.
02. Choose a professional questionnaire builder
The platform you use to build your questionnaire impacts everything from design to data analysis. You need a tool that's easy to use, looks professional and can handle complex logic if needed.
Wixel is an excellent choice as a form builder and questionnaire builder, as it's an AI-powered, all-in-one solution that helps you turn goals into professional-quality branded assets with ease.
Using a dedicated builder basically simplifies the process. It allows you to create a visually appealing design that matches your brand, ensures the questionnaire works perfectly on mobile devices and often provides built-in tools for analyzing the data you collect. This saves you time and makes the entire project more manageable.
03. Draft clear and unbiased questions
The quality of your data depends entirely on the quality of your questions. Each question should be written with absolute clarity to avoid any misinterpretation. Use simple, direct language and steer clear of jargon or technical terms your audience might not understand.
It's also crucial to avoid leading questions that might influence a respondent's answer.
For example, instead of asking, "Don't you agree that our customer service is excellent?," ask a neutral question like, "How would you rate your recent customer service experience?"
Use a mix of question types, like multiple-choice for quantitative data and open-ended questions for qualitative insights.
Making a questionnaire is different to how you go about creating a survey, or building a poll — your goal here is clean, accurate data not engagement or nice to have information.
04. Structure the flow and layout
The order of your questions matters. A well-structured questionnaire feels like a natural conversation. Start with simple, general questions to ease the respondent in before moving on to more specific or sensitive topics. Group related questions together into logical sections to create a smooth and coherent experience.
The visual layout is just as important. Use plenty of white space, a readable font and clear headings to guide the user. A clean, uncluttered design makes your questionnaire much less intimidating and can significantly improve the chances that someone will complete it from start to finish.
05. Pilot test your questionnaire
Never send your questionnaire out to your full audience without testing it first. A pilot test involves sharing it with a small, representative sample of your target group. This trial run helps you identify confusing questions, technical glitches or design flaws before you launch it widely.
Ask your test group for feedback on the clarity of the questions, the time it took to complete, and the overall experience. Use their input to make necessary revisions. This step is your chance to catch and fix mistakes, so that the data you ultimately collect is reliable and accurate.
06. Distribute and collect responses
With your questionnaire polished and ready, it’s time to share it with your intended audience. Choose the distribution method that makes the most sense for your goals. This could be sending it via email to a specific customer list, posting it on social media, or embedding it on your website.
When you share it, provide some context at the same time. You can do this by briefly explaining the purpose of the questionnaire and how the data will be used. Assuring respondents of their privacy and anonymity, if applicable, can also build trust and encourage more honest and complete responses.
How to make a questionnaire FAQ
What's the difference between a questionnaire and a survey?
A questionnaire is the set of written questions used to collect data. A survey is the broader process of distributing that questionnaire, collecting the responses, and analyzing the data. In short, the questionnaire is the tool and the survey ideas and examples are the research method.
How do write good multiple-choice questions?
Good multiple-choice options are mutually exclusive and collectively exhaustive. This means the choices shouldn't overlap, and they should cover all possible answers. It's often a good idea to include an "Other (please specify)" or "I don't know" option to capture responses that don't fit neatly into your predefined categories.
Should questions be marked as mandatory?
Making every question required can frustrate respondents and may lead them to abandon the questionnaire entirely if they can't or don't want to answer a specific question. It's generally better to make only the most critical questions mandatory and allow people to skip others. This respects their autonomy and often results in higher completion rates.
