The question posed to the group of 5 Bloggers this month was: “Mobile surveys – For/Against, Pros/Cons, Right Situations/Wrong Situations?” Links to my fellow bloggers Annie Pettit, Joel Rubinson, Josh Mendelsohn and Bernie Malinoff can be found below.
I feel quite strongly that mobile surveys should never attempt to replace conventional survey methodology. The range of device capabilities, penetration of mobile in the population, and the small screen sizes allow only very clear and concise questions
The face of research has changed and so must our methodology. We are no longer living in an age where we need to ask questions face to face or fill out paper based surveys. Online surveys have provided us with a fast and somewhat interactive medium to gather opinions. With the advent of new media, survey companies are beginning to jump on the band wagon with all manner of ways for respondents to answer questions through fancy flash applications and virtual environments designed to extract an understanding of respondents preference. With new technology comes the ability to ask questions in a manner that changes not only the dynamic but also the level of engagement that respondents can have with surveys. The danger, is the lack of understanding of how these new media questions change responses in comparison to conventional question types.