🙂 Qualitative Method- focus on understanding user experiences through non-numerical data
📊 Quantitative Method- the collection and analysis of numerical data to measure user behavior
Surveys are a great way to gather data on a game — they’re affordable, flexible, and easy to administer across different types of studies. However, while survey design might seem simple, it’s surprisingly easy to introduce critical errors that can invalidate your results. Surveys are particularly risky because, unlike some other methods, unreliable data or flawed conclusions can be hard to spot.
Despite these challenges, surveys are a common tool in games user research, especially for wrapping up playtests. Mastering survey design is an essential skill for any researcher in the field.
You have a few options when designing a survey:
Create a custom survey tailored specifically to your study goals and target audience.
**Use Standardized Questionnaires:**
Leverage existing, validated questionnaires that can take the guesswork out of survey design and help you collect reliable quantitative data.
Blend Both Approaches:
You can combine your own custom questions with elements from standardized questionnaires to cover both specific and broad research goals.
Once your data is gathered, check out Analyzing Rating-Scale Data to learn how to effectively analyze and visualize your results.