Sample survey is the most simple, and, perhaps the most effective method to acquire information from a large

universe of population. This is also the most general method utilized to gather information from a large collection of thing, people, etc. With sample surveys, data are collected from a sample of a universe to estimate the characteristics of the universe, such as their range or dispersion, the frequency of occurrence of events, or the expected values of important universe parameters. I would presume here that you have the basic knowledge about statistics and its most basic things of statistics. If survey results are collected at regular intervals, the results can be analyzed using the well-known quality control tools to obtain information on the underlying process. The process excellence leader should not be reticent in recommending that survey budgets be allocated to conducting small, routine, periodic surveys rather than infrequent big studies. Without the information available from time-ordered series of data, it will not be possible to learn about processes which produce changes in customer satisfaction or perceptions of quality. Survey development consists of the following major tasks: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. initial planning of the questionnaire developing the measures designing the sample developing and testing the questionnaire producing the questionnaire preparing and distributing mailing materials collecting data reducing the data to forms that can be analyzed analyzing the data

A typical time table, of the completion of these tasks, is shown here. The planning of the questionnaire is at the first of the chart as it should be, since, as they say failing to plan is only planning to fail. Planning phase is followed by development of constructs and measures, which, is very important for any survey as it is here, where the variables, that needs to be taken care of in the survey, are selected. After that come the development of questionnaire, re-evaluation and publishing of questionnaire, distributing and collecting data phase. This is the biggest and the most time consuming part of the sample survey. After this phase comes the data analysis phase the part where the data is analyzed and utilized accordingly. This is typical of any sample survey that is carried out. GUIDELINES FOR DEVELOPING QUESTIONS: The main idea behind providing the guidelines for developing the questions, is that the question writer or writers must be thoroughly familiar with the respondent group and must understand the subject matter from the perspective of the respondent group. This is often problematic for the employee when the respondent group is the customer; methods for dealing with this situation are discussed here. There are eight basic guidelines for writing good questions:

 Ask questions in a format that is appropriate to the questions purpose and the information required. Make sure the questions are relevant, proper, and qualified as needed. Write clear, concise questions at the respondents language level. Give the respondent a chance to answer by providing a comprehensive list of relevant, mutually exclusive responses from which to choose. Ask unbiased questions by using appropriate formats and item constructions and by presenting all important factors in the proper sequence. Get unbiased answers by anticipating and accounting for various respondent tendencies. Quantify the response measures where possible. Provide a logical and unbiased line of inquiry to keep the readers attention and make the response task easier. The main issue in designing survey questions is designing of the responses and the manner it will be taken since the responces are the data that needs to be collected from the target people from where the information required will be extracted. In designing the reponce types it should be kept in mind that there are several types of reponce types. There are several commonly used types of survey responses. Open-ended questions These are questions that allow the respondents to frame their own response without any restrictions placed on the response. The primary advantage is that such questions are easy to form and ask using natural language, even if the question writer has little knowledge of the subject matter. Unfortunately, there are many problems with analyzing the answers received to this type of question. This type of question is most useful in determining the scope and content of the survey, not in producing results for analysis or process improvement. Fill-in-the-blank questions Here the respondent is provided with directions that specify the units in which the respondent is to answer. The instructions should be explicit and should specify the answer units. This type of question should be reserved for very specific requests, e.g., What is your age on your last birthday?_____________ (age in years). . Yes/No questions Unfortunately, yes/no questions are very popular. Although they have some advantages, they have many problems and few uses. Yes/no questions are ideal for dichotomous variables, such as defective or not defective. However, too often this format is used when the measure spans a range of values and conditions, e.g., Were you satisfied with the quality of your new car (yes/no)? A yes/no response to such questions contains little useful information. Ranking questions The ranking format is used to rank options according to some criterion, e.g., importance. Ranking formats are dicult to write and dicult to answer. They give very little real information and are very prone to errors that can invalidate all the responses. They should be avoided whenever possible in favor of more powerful formats and formats less prone to error, such as ating When used, the number of ranking categories should not exceed ve. . Rating questions With this type of response, a rating is assigned on the basis of the scores absolute position within a range of possible values.

Rating scales are easy to write, easy to answer, and provide a level of quanti cation that is adequate formost purposes. They tend to produce reasonably valid measures. Here is an example of a rating format: For the following statement, check the appropriate box: The workmanship standards provided by the purchaser are & Clear & Marginally adequate & Unclear Surveys and Focus Groups 105