New approaches to optimising online surveys: Accessible solutions increase comprehensibility and willingness to participate
(04.10.2024) The final workshop of the DFG-funded research project ‘Communicative means for accessible survey research’ took place on 1 October. Volker Gehrau, Benjamin Bigl and Ketevan Gognelashvili presented key findings from the DFG project and recommendations for action. The aim of the project was to find out how accessible means of communication can improve participation in standardised online surveys.
Around 20 participants from market and opinion research departments, professional associations and societies as well as from university survey research discussed ways in which the recommendations for accessible solutions can be put into practice in the ballroom of Münster Castle. Prof Gehrau emphasised that most online surveys are conducted without the participation of people with disabilities. ‘We want to change this by using participatory methods that actively involve this group.’
A key finding of the project is that simple language versions and assistive tools such as read-aloud functions or the use of a dark mode can improve comprehensibility and motivation to participate. Ketevan Gognelashvili emphasised the importance of the results for general survey research: ‘Visualisations such as smileys and colour scales are particularly helpful, while sliders were often perceived as impractical. These findings can optimise future online surveys.’
With the preliminary results, the DFG research project lays the foundation for new perspectives and methods in the field of online research. The results should help to reduce barriers to participation in surveys and promote the inclusion of scientific data collection. ‘It turns out that accessible tools can facilitate access to surveys not only for people with disabilities, but also for people without disabilities. This opens up new possibilities for more inclusive data collection in empirical research,’ says Dr Benjamin Bigl. In the workshop, strategies were developed together with the experts on how the results should be integrated into methodology and survey practice.
Further information on the project can be found at: https://www.uni-muenster.de/Bfo-dfg/.
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