The Future of Surveys - Why the old approach no longer works
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The Future of Surveys - Why the old approach no longer works
Surveys have long been the go-to method for market research, helping brands gauge public opinion, track performance, and gather essential insights. However, the way we collect and analyse this data has barely evolved since the days of the clipboard-wielding researcher on the street. All we’ve done is digitise it, turning those trusty clipboards into online forms. Maybe it's time to rethink this approach to design something better suited to how people think, feel, and behave. The future of market research lies in moving beyond traditional surveys and designing methods that reflect the complexity of human behaviour in today’s world. Here's why that shift is so important.
The Problem with Traditional Surveys
Traditional surveys are based on outdated methods, built for the researcher’s convenience, not the respondent’s experience. While they’ve served their purpose - offering statistical norms and giving us data we can analyse - surveys force respondents into a linear process of Q&A that doesn’t reflect how human memory or communication actually work.
Surveys often ask respondents to recall specific moments from the past, such as, "What were you doing on Saturday evening?" The problem is, human memory isn't perfect, and the data becomes unreliable as people struggle to accurately remember events that aren't fresh in their minds. Surveys are also prescriptive. You answer a question, then another, and another, and another... you get the picture. There's no room for a natural conversation, reflection, or response flexibility. In short, the output is flawed because the process is unnatural.
Enter Conversational Surveys
While surveys in their current form may not be the future, that doesn’t mean the practice of gathering structured data is obsolete. Instead, the form needs to evolve, and technology is already offering us solutions. Take conversational surveys, for example. These are more natural, mimicking everyday interactions through methods like text messages or WhatsApp. Instead of a rigid Q&A, these surveys adapt offering follow-up questions based on real-time responses.
For instance, imagine asking someone, "How do you think remote work will affect productivity?" If they respond with “no effect,” a conversational survey might follow up with, “That’s interesting - why do you think it won’t have any effect?” Suddenly, the respondent might revise their answer, offering a more nuanced, “Well, not no effect, but minimal impact.” This type of exchange brings depth and accuracy that traditional surveys often lack.
The conversational approach taps into how people communicate daily, resulting in more authentic data. However, the challenge is that these platforms still output data in free-text responses, which can be harder to analyse at scale. We’re in a transitional phase where the front-end experience is evolving, but the back-end (particularly the ability to process and analyse conversational data) hasn’t quite caught up.
Beyond Surveys: The Rise of Behavioural Data
Another promising shift is the move toward gathering behavioural data in real-time rather than relying on respondents to recall past events. For example, rather than asking someone on a Tuesday morning how they spent their Saturday night, why not capture their behaviour in 30-second intervals throughout the weekend? These micro-moments, captured in real-time, offer far more reliable insights into behavior.
Voice notes are another emerging tool, allowing respondents to share spontaneous thoughts as they occur, providing real-time context that static surveys can’t touch. This shift from recall to real-time behavior helps us avoid the pitfalls of recall bias.
A World of Consumer-Controlled Data?
Looking even further ahead, we may see a future where consumers have more control over their data, choosing what to share and with whom (and getting paid in the process). In this scenario, data becomes a kind of currency, where individuals can decide to exchange their behavioural and demographic insights for value. While this sounds promising, the barriers to widespread adoption are still fairly significant. Consumers would need a high level of digital literacy, and brands would have to earn their trust, which is no small task in today’s climate of data leaks and privacy concerns.
Yet, as frustration with the current data collection methods grows (think of those irrelevant ads following you online long after you’ve made a purchase) more people may opt for systems where they control their data and choose to share it selectively. It’s a radical shift, but one that could redefine the relationship between brands and consumers and reshape how we conduct data collection across the industry.
What Lies Ahead for Surveys?
So, will surveys disappear entirely? Probably not. Much like the UK’s Victorian-era rail infrastructure, surveys are a foundation we've long relied on in the market research ecosystem. While we’ve had to retrofit and build around old railway systems, we can do the same with surveys - adapting and improving them with new technologies. While the core of the survey - asking structured questions and analysing the answers - will likely endure, how we enhance and use them is what will evolve.
The future, however, is about flexibility. Imagine offering participants a choice: “Would you prefer to answer a survey, chat with an AI, or provide real-time data via a series of short interactions?” It’s about meeting people where they are, using technology to create more natural, engaging, and (most importantly) accurate data collection methods.
Change is Coming, Slowly but Surely
The future of surveys isn’t about abandoning them altogether but about redesigning them for a digital age. Brands and researchers must embrace new technologies that mirror natural human interactions - whether through conversational interfaces, real-time behavioural tracking, or even consumer-controlled data. And while the industry’s reliance on traditional surveys will slow the pace of change, forward-thinking companies are already experimenting with these new methods, leading the way toward a more insightful and accurate future for data collection.
The real question is, are you ready to join them?
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