How To Use Skip Logic For Your Surveys

 

How can you incorporate the skip logic feature into surveys?

1. Linear and Nonlinear Surveys
2. Map Out The Routes
3. Build a Survey
4. Add Skip Logic Rules
5. Final Testing of the Survey

 

Several WordPress survey plugins allow you to incorporate a smart conditional logic or skip the logic feature into the form. Whether you are collecting user feedback or reviewing the purpose of a website visit, you can easily embed a form with customized skip features for a better customer experience. Here is a brief overview of the process of incorporating the skip logic feature into a website form.

 

Linear and Nonlinear Surveys

The purpose of the skip logic feature is to assist respondents to the subsequent question depending on their answers to certain questions. The first condition of applying skip logic in surveys is that it only works for linear consultation. Non-linear surveys will not recognize skip logic. Linear consultation, as the word suggests, contains a page in a specified order. Respondents cannot proceed to the succeeding page if the current page is incomplete. The order goes from page 1 to page “x.” On the other hand, non-linear surveys allow respondents to select the area they wish to respond to. Simply put, there is no order in answering a non-linear survey. With this, it is inapplicable to use the skip logic for this type of survey.

 

Map Out The Routes

Before you plan the routing or branching, you must first determine which types of questions can be used for conditional skip logic. Skip logic features can only be applied to questions that register single and quantitative answers. This includes closed-ended questions with answers that make use of radio buttons, a single checkbox, or a dropdown. Respondents with similar answers to a question should be grouped together in a one-page destination.

The skip logic feature can be conditional or unconditional. Any two options that direct to a similar page is the result of the conditional rule. Whereas a single option directing to a variety of pages is the result of unconditional rule. It is important to note that there is no need to use the skip logic for pages that lead directly to the next page. This is because it is naturally the default survey structure.

 

Build a Survey

After you have sketched the routes and branches, proceed to finalize the content and order of the survey. You will be less confused when building the body of the survey prior to adding any skip logic. Simply put, inserting a skip logic function between the contents of the survey is easier than building it and at the same time incorporating its features.

Moreover, testing the survey over and over will prevent the mistake of unintentionally altering routes. You can modify the contents and order of the survey once the skip logic is added.

The best example of questions that may need to skip logic is the usability of a commodity or service. For example, let’s say that the purpose of your survey is to know the respondents’ usage, attitude, and image towards vending machines for brand positioning. You can develop your survey to ask for the respondent’s age and gender followed by a straightforward question such as, “Have you ever used a vending machine?”. This way you will be able to collect data per generation and their usage of vending machines.

Conversely, a certain group will not have to go through a question they are unconcerned with. For respondents who answered “no”, a follow-up question could be “Do you see yourself utilizing one in the future?” You must see to it that you only use closed-ended questions so it will be easier to categorize each response.

 

Add Skip Logic Rules

Integrating skip logic rules is simple because most survey-making websites already provide straightforward options. The tedious part is to know where a certain answer will be directed to depending on the three key destinations of skip logic feature. They are skipping to any page number, skipping to the end of the survey, and skipping to the disqualification page.

Skipping to any page number moves respondents forward through the survey, not backward and definitely not to the end of the survey. This condition only applies if the respondent is qualified to answer the following set of questions. Otherwise, they will be directed to the disqualification page. This page is for those respondents who do not possess the qualities, knowledge, or experience the researchers need. If qualified respondents make their way to the point of the survey wherein the subsequent questions do not apply anymore, they will be directed to the survey end page.

 

Final Testing of the Survey

Before publishing your survey to your site or disseminating it to different social media platforms, make sure to test it out yourself. It is critical to perform testing to see the lapses of integrated skip logic conditions and rules. You may have unintentionally switched routes and branches that could destroy the experience of the respondents in answering the survey. Finally, you should test the survey yourself. No matter how well the skip logic questions are integrated, if the content of the body does not include the essential questions, then the survey will not yield substantial results.

 

Key Takeaway

A simple survey form with the use of WordPress survey plugins can uncover all types of answers. The most important aspect to focus on when adding a skip logic question is mapping the route or branches. A tangled route may confuse a respondent and trigger them to abandon the form. In this manner, the sequence should be: map the route, build the survey, and integrate the skip logic.