If you ask me to fill a survey, let me see the results

Daniele Catalanotto
Aug 30, 2022
A Service Design for a more transparent user research process

You vote in an election. You are a good citizen. Well done! But nobody gives you the final result. Weird, no? That's exactly what happens with many surveys.

People ask you to participate but usually don't give you the results. So, for example, you might see the effects of the survey. But you don't have access to the data.

When you see the data of a survey, it feels like your contribution means really something. You can learn something too. For example, you can see that your opinion is either in the majority or in the minority. That can positively change your attitude.

When later you see changes happen, you can also contextualize these changes. You can tell yourself: "Oh yeah, I remember that in the survey most people asked for this".

I have to admit. I often forget to share the result with the people who participate in my research. But I still believe it's both fair play and essential to do so.

So, when you ask people for their opinion via survey, interview or any other method, give them later access to the results.

Daniele's personal notes

  • This is the second draft of this Service Design Principle.
  • This length of this principle has been reduced by 22% compared to the first draft.
  • Once adapted, even more, this principle could be part of the book "Service Design Principles 201-300"
  • As always feel free to share comments, feedback or personal stories to improve this principle.

4 comments

Deirdre Malone
Aug 30, 2022
Love this Daniel. So true. 
Deleted
Oct 29, 2022
I don’t understand the first few lines. Whenever I’ve voted in an election, the vote is counted and reported — as votes come in and after the final tally. 

Sometimes the final results are disputed, but that’s another story.
Daniele Catalanotto
Oct 31, 2022
Thanks JJ, I've changed the intro to make it clearer that it's an image to make us realize that in fact this would never happen in the "normal" world and that therefore it's weird that it happens with work surveys ;) 
Daniele Catalanotto
Oct 31, 2022

The third draft of this Service Design Principle

Imagine this. You vote in an election to choose the next president. But nobody gives you the final result. That would never happen, right?!

But that's what happens with many surveys. You take part in the survey but usually, you don't see the results.

When you see the survey results, the organization recognizes your effort. But it goes further. You can learn something too. For example, when later changes happen, you understand them better. You can tell yourself: "Oh yeah, I remember that in the survey, most people wanted this". Or you remember that your wish is in the minority. (1)

So let me ask.

What results can you share with research participants to respect the work they did for you?

Footnotes

(1) I have to admit. I often forget to share the result with the people who participate in my research. But I still believe it's both fair play and essential to do so.

Daniele’s notes

  • This is the third draft of this principle.
  • I’ve reduced the length of this principle by 34 % compared to the previous draft.
  • I’ve added a conclusion question to help the reader turn this principle into action.