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How important is a "percentage complete" bar when taking a survey?
Researchers sometimes provide "percentage complete" bars on their surveys as a means of informing the respondent of their progress. These can be informative tools for promoting proper expectations for the survey commitment, but not everyone uses them. In fact, not all survey software tools provide this as a design option. How important is the "percentage complete" feature in your survey experience? When would be a time when it is best not to use?
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8 Answers
I think it would be a great tool if they actually worked! There's times when it seems to simply be a rectangle bar that arbitrarily moves to the right without being based on a set metric. I’ve had them half way across, then when I responded to the next question, it was over. And I’ve had it the other way – one question fills up a third of the bar, and the next ten questions fill up the next third. Perhaps this is because the manner in which I responded drew no further questions, or stimulated additional questions, or perhaps it’s a marketing tool to make you think you are almost done. For me, after one or two bad impressions of a technology, I’m done relying on it…….
It's often inconsistent or misleading because some surveys factor in hidden pages, dummy questions etc. that the respondent isn't aware of.
On a wider note, I refuse to EVER use them because by using them it's a subtle way of saying " I know you're bored with this, it's nearly over". Any research, quant or qual needs to be perceived as something enjoyable by the respondent. We should be striving to get the best value from our respondents. Any concession that what they're doing is boring should be avoided at all costs.Market research has such a dirty name already - no need to maintain that image.
Very important. Lets tell you a story. In my building there is an elevator which works like a normal elevator.After pressing the up/down key, it does tell that the elevator is coming but won't tell which floor its on. So may be its at the 15th floor or even 2nd floor. This frustrates people because they don't how much time they need to wait. Several people avoid it.
People are more ready and more welcoming if they know how much time they have devoted and how much they are expected to devote more. Time devoted appears more like an accomplishment and time left is more like a challenge(thinking if we have already spent so much time, lets finish it. end is near).
Lastly, I agree that sometimes these indicators are dubious but thats the fault of survey designer who in a sense cheats respondent on their time.
As a frequent survey respondent I think the bar is a very powerful tool when you are doing a short survey. I end up taking a lot of surveys that are passed along to me by colleagues with a request for "a few minutes" and most of the time 2-5 minutes is all that I have to give a survey. If I have answered 10 questions and I am 25% through the survey, sorry but I am going to have to ditch it. I do take a fair amount of longer surveys on topics that I am very interested in and want to allocate enough time to give insightful answers, in those cases the completed bar has a smaller impact on me.
Based on my experience, critical to maximizing response rates! People need to get a sense of commitment level expected, in terms of time & effort. The progress bar solves a few problems in that way.
As a frequent survey respondent and a market researcher, here is what I feel about them
Pros:
1) Gives a sense of length to the respondent continuously. Important when doing lengthy paid surveys.
2) Reflects the surveyors genuineness in projecting how laborious the survey could be. I appreciate it personally.
3) If the progress is quick, respondent can gauge that survey is short and would be more patient and accurate when responding.
Cons:
1) Instills boredom when responding to long surveys, especially unpaid ones.
2) Respondents try to run through the survey if the progress is minimal with each response.
3) Can be a motivating factor for respondents to leave the survey mid way.
Summing up, I like them for short or long paid surveys, but not for lengthy unpaid surveys.
I like them, as a respondent, because they give me some assurance of when I'll be finished. Granted, if I really like the survey, I don't tend to pay attention to them, but not every survey is like that, and it has saved me from abandoning the survey (especially for an entity with which I am not familiar).
We've had this debate countless times internally and keep coming to the answer "NOT VERY" important to have them.
The hope is that, as an industry, we're not subjecting respondents to horribly long surveys that NEED a progress bar. It's a tall order and almost impossible, but alas, we can all hope, right?
Most have hit on this already but routing has gotten so complex on some surveys that in fact, the progress bar can work AGAINST the stated desire of being friendly to the respondent.
In 5 years when everything has to be done on mobile devices/tablets, we won't even be allowed to ask more than 5-minute bursts of questions so this will probably make this discussion moot. (again, a HOPE, not necessarily fact, just my thoughts)
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