Mandatory Questions In Surveys

When you've spent time designing and fine-tuning your survey, the last thing you want is for respondents to breeze past your carefully crafted survey questions or, worse still, abandon the survey altogether. It's easy to understand why the temptation to make certain questions mandatory can creep in. After all, if the questions are crucial, surely ensuring they get answered is the right move? Let's find out.

So before you start ticking every “required question” box, it's worth considering the potential downsides of making questions mandatory. While there are scenarios where mandatory questions might be justified—such as in employee satisfaction surveys within an organisation or in government censuses—generally, mandatory questions can be more of a hindrance than a help.

Reasons to avoid mandatory questions in your survey

At first glance, mandatory survey questions might seem like the perfect solution to guarantee you get the responses you need. However, the reality is more complex, and imposing mandatory questions can backfire in unexpected ways.

It's not respectful of respondents' time

Your respondents are busy people. Surveys often land in inboxes while recipients are juggling various tasks, whether they're at work, commuting, or relaxing at home. With so many demands on their time, the last thing they want is to be forced into answering questions they're not comfortable with or that feel irrelevant.

Most people are willing to start a survey because the topic interests them or because they value having their opinions heard. However, when they're met with mandatory questions, it can feel like an imposition on their time. A survey that demands answers rather than invites them can quickly become frustrating, leading to higher dropout rates and lower overall engagement.

Your response rate is likely to decrease

Counterintuitive though it may seem, making all your questions mandatory can lead to fewer responses overall. This risk increases if your survey hasn't been thoughtfully planned, particularly in terms of question wording and structure.

Consider this scenario: you're running a survey about pet ownership and include a mandatory screening question asking, “What is the breed of your cat or dog?” Now, if you haven't filtered out non-pet owners at the start of the survey, this question becomes problematic. Those without cats or dogs are likely to feel frustrated, with some dropping out of the survey altogether. Similarly, if you ask for sensitive personal information and make it mandatory, you may alienate respondents who then choose not to complete the survey.

Your data's likely to be less reliable

Mandatory questions can also undermine the reliability of your data. Returning to the pet survey example, imagine respondents who don't own a cat or dog but want to complete the survey anyway. Faced with a mandatory question they can't truthfully answer, they might resort to selecting a random response just to move forward.

This type of response not only skews your data but also risks leading you to incorrect conclusions. The goal of any survey is to gather accurate and actionable insights, and forcing respondents into a corner with mandatory questions can compromise the integrity of the information you collect.

Understanding the psychology of survey respondents

To create a successful survey, it's crucial to understand the mindset of your respondents. People generally appreciate having control over their actions, especially when it comes to sharing their opinions or personal information. When you introduce mandatory questions, you're essentially taking away that control, which can lead to resentment and disengagement.

Respondents are more likely to engage with your survey when they feel their time and input are valued. By allowing them to skip questions they're uncomfortable with or that don't apply to them, you're respecting their autonomy. This respect is often reciprocated with more thoughtful and honest responses, leading to higher quality data overall.

Best practices for crafting survey questions

So, if mandatory questions are fraught with risks, what's the alternative? The key lies in crafting questions that naturally encourage responses without needing to enforce them. Here are some tips:

• Be clear and concise: Ambiguous or overly complex questions can confuse respondents, making them more likely to skip or drop out. Ensure your questions are straightforward and easy to understand.
• Make it relevant: Every question should have a clear purpose. If respondents can see the relevance of each question to the overall survey, they're more likely to engage with it.
• Use friendly and approachable language: The tone of your survey matters. A conversational, approachable style can make the survey experience more enjoyable, reducing the likelihood of respondents feeling forced or pressured.
• Test your questions: Before launching your survey, test it with a small group. This can help identify any questions that might be problematic or unclear, allowing you to make adjustments before the survey goes live.

Alternatives to mandatory questions

Instead of relying on mandatory questions, consider using other strategies to ensure you gather the necessary data without compromising the respondent experience.

Conditional logic and skip patterns

One effective technique is to use conditional logic or skip patterns. These tools allow you to guide respondents through a survey based on their previous answers, ensuring they only see questions that are relevant to them. For instance, if someone indicates they don't own a pet, the survey can automatically skip any pet-related questions, making the experience more streamlined and personalised.

Optional question sections

Another approach is to create sections of the survey that are optional but still clearly labelled as important. This allows respondents to skip questions if they feel uncomfortable, without the risk of completely abandoning the survey. Highlighting the value of their input can encourage them to answer these questions voluntarily.

Use of progress bars and clear instructions

Incorporating progress bars and providing clear instructions in your survey questionnaire design can help manage expectations and reduce frustration. When respondents know how long the survey will take and which questions are required, they're more likely to remain engaged and complete the survey.

Analysing the impact of mandatory questions on data quality

It's important to understand how mandatory questions can affect the overall quality of your survey data. When respondents feel forced to answer a question, they may provide less thoughtful or even inaccurate responses just to get through the survey. This can lead to several issues:

• Response bias: When respondents feel compelled to answer, they might choose options that don't accurately reflect their true opinions or experiences, leading to skewed data.
• Increased dropout rates: Mandatory questions can increase frustration, leading respondents to abandon the survey midway, resulting in incomplete data sets.
• Misleading insights: Poor-quality data from forced responses can lead to misleading conclusions, potentially causing organisations to make decisions based on faulty information.

By understanding these potential pitfalls, you can make more informed decisions about when and how to use mandatory questions in your surveys.

Legal and ethical considerations

When deciding whether to include mandatory questions, it's essential to consider the legal and ethical implications. Depending on the nature of your survey and the jurisdiction in which you operate, there may be regulations governing how you collect and use data.

Data protection laws

In many regions, such as the UK and EU, data protection laws like the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) impose strict rules on how personal data can be collected and processed. If your survey includes questions that require respondents to provide personal information, you must ensure that these questions comply with legal requirements, including obtaining explicit consent from respondents.

Ethical obligations

Beyond legal considerations, there's also an ethical obligation to respect respondents' privacy and autonomy. Making questions mandatory, especially when they touch on sensitive topics, can be seen as intrusive. It's important to balance your need for information with respect for the respondent's right to withhold certain details.

Tailoring mandatory questions for different audiences

Not all surveys are created equal, and the appropriateness of mandatory questions can vary depending on the audience and context.

Internal surveys vs. public opinion polls

In internal surveys, such as those conducted within a company, mandatory questions might be more acceptable, particularly if the survey is part of an official process like certain HR surveys or employee compliance checks. In these cases, respondents may have an obligation to provide certain information.

However, in citizen engagement opinion polls or customer feedback, where participation is voluntary, mandatory questions are likely to be less well received. In these contexts, it's better to focus on creating engaging, relevant questions that encourage voluntary participation.

Audience characteristics

Consider the demographic characteristics of your audience when deciding whether to use mandatory questions. For example, younger respondents might be more accustomed to digital surveys and comfortable with navigating around mandatory questions, whereas older respondents might find them more off-putting. Similarly, surveys targeting professionals might require different approaches compared to those aimed at a general audience.

The role of survey length and structure

Survey length and the structure of your questionnaire can significantly influence how respondents perceive and interact with mandatory questions. A well-structured survey that's concise and to the point is more likely to keep respondents engaged, even if some questions are mandatory.

Keep it concise

Long surveys can be daunting, especially if respondents know they'll have to answer every question. Keeping your survey concise and focused on the most important questions can reduce fatigue and improve completion rates.

Logical flow

Ensure your survey follows a logical flow, with questions grouped by topic and presented in a way that makes sense to the respondent. This can help maintain their engagement and reduce the likelihood of them abandoning the survey halfway through.

Common pitfalls and how to avoid them

When incorporating mandatory questions into your survey, there are common pitfalls to watch out for. Here's how to avoid them:

Overloading with mandatory questions

One of the biggest mistakes is making too many questions mandatory. This can overwhelm respondents and lead to higher dropout rates. Instead, carefully select which questions are truly essential and consider making the rest optional.

Ignoring respondent context

Not every respondent will be in the same situation or have the same level of knowledge about the survey topic. Ignoring this context and forcing everyone to answer the same mandatory questions can lead to irrelevant or inaccurate data. Use skip logic and branching to tailor the survey experience based on respondent answers.

Failing to provide escape routes

If a respondent doesn't have an applicable answer to a mandatory question, they might feel stuck and abandon the survey. Always provide an “opt-out” option, such as “not applicable” or “prefer not to say,” to give respondents an escape route without forcing them to choose an inaccurate answer.

Wrapping up

Designing a survey is both an art and a science. While mandatory questions might seem like a straightforward way to ensure you get the data you need, they can sometimes do more harm than good. By understanding the potential drawbacks and exploring alternatives, you can create surveys that are not only effective in gathering data but also respectful and engaging for respondents.

As we've seen, the key to a successful survey is to make the experience as smooth and enjoyable as possible for those completing it. Through careful consideration of when and how to use mandatory questions, you can improve your response rates, enhance the quality of your data, and ultimately make better decisions based on your survey results. Take the time to design your surveys thoughtfully, and your efforts will be rewarded with more meaningful insights.

Key takeaways

Understanding mandatory questions: Mandatory questions require a response before a survey respondent can proceed. While intended to ensure crucial data is collected, their misuse can lead to negative outcomes such as survey abandonment or inaccurate responses.

The risks of mandatory questions: Imposing mandatory questions can frustrate respondents, disrespect their time, and potentially decrease the overall response rate. Respondents may drop out or provide false answers just to move through the survey, compromising the data’s reliability.

Respecting respondent autonomy: Allowing respondents to skip questions they find irrelevant or uncomfortable respects their autonomy and can lead to higher quality, more honest responses. This respect fosters engagement and better data quality.

Best practices for question design: Crafting clear, concise, and relevant questions is essential to naturally encourage responses without making them mandatory. Testing questions with a small group before launching the survey can also help identify any issues.

Alternatives to mandatory questions: Strategies like using conditional logic, skip patterns, and optional question sections can help collect necessary data without forcing responses. These techniques make the survey experience more personalised and less intrusive.

Legal and ethical considerations: When using mandatory questions, it’s crucial to comply with data protection laws, like the GDPR, and to respect respondents’ privacy and autonomy, especially when dealing with sensitive information.

Balancing survey length and structure: A well-structured and concise survey is more likely to keep respondents engaged, even with some mandatory questions. Overloading a survey with mandatory questions or ignoring respondent context can lead to higher dropout rates and less reliable data.

(See also: our collection of sample survey questions for common use cases)

Author's note: this blog was originally published June 2023 and updated August 2024.