Ask Better Questions is #1 (But, let's chat data analysis)
I'm excited to say that one week out, Ask Better Questions is the #1 new release in Scientific Research and Social Sciences Methodology on Amazon, and also ranking on three bestseller lists:
#8 in User Experience & Website Usability
#10 in Social Sciences Methodology
#11 in Scientific Research
I'm so incredibly grateful to each of you for your support on this journey.
Since I'll be wrapping up my survey quick tips this week, I thought it's only fitting to discuss survey data analysis. I think this is a topic that gets way overcomplicated. And, I get it—math used to intimidate me too. Especially advanced math.
The key to quality survey data analysis is ... your shareables. (Did you see that coming?) Look at your list of shareables—the clear learnings or takeaways you want to be able to speak to, use to make decisions, or report (share) for each goal. What do you need to best present your shareable? Do you need analysis that:
… describes your data? (you can share an average, a range, standard deviation, or frequency of responses)
… explores relationships? (you can do a correlation to describe the direction and strength of a relationship)
… makes comparisons? (you can do a t-test or ANOVA to compare two groups or something like confidence pre-and-post-workshop).
… speaks to impact? (you can do a regression)
... uses words and stories? (you can qualitatively code your data).
Your shareables should guide your methods. Choose the approach to analysis that makes the most sense given what you want to be able to say!
For example, if you want to share how easy people find your product to use, you might focus on descriptive stats—on average, what rating do people give your product for ease of use? Or, what percent of people chose each category (Not at all easy, Somewhat easy, Very easy)? If you want to know whether Millennials find your product easier (or more difficult) to use than Gen Z, you’d run a t-test to compare the groups. If you’re interested in the role that employee satisfaction plays in job retention at your company, you could use a regression analysis. If you want to create a case study highlighting customers' experience with your product, you'll want to use qualitative analysis.
Shareables make your analysis choices easier—if you use the guiding questions I suggest, there should be a clear answer (or, sometimes, answers) for how to analyze your data. You don't have to overcomplicate it.
Back to question makeovers next week. Can't wait!
