Center for Technology and Business » Surveys
Surveys
A survey is a cost effective and practical way to measure needs in your community. It can be a first step toward a bigger community survey, a snapshot of a portion of your community, and more.
Below are the steps to go through when doing a community survey.
Click on a link to learn more about the topic.
Palm Pilot Survey Process
Narrow your questions to nine (9) to no more than 15 questions.
When your questions are finalized, e-mail them to us and we’ll load them on the Palm Pilots.
Find volunteers to canvas your neighborhoods.
Decide a date.
Make arrangements to get the equipment.
Participate in a short Train the Trainer tutorial so that you can train your volunteers.
Return the Palm Pilots after your survey is completed.
We’ll download the data and produce a report for you.
Before Survey
A. Draft questions.
B. Get input from committee.
C. Discuss how you plan to use the results of each question. This will eliminate “unnecessary” questions and save respondent time.
Questions
Form questions carefully. Decide what you need to know.
Be single-minded so that the answers can be measured.
Don’t try to put too much into a question.
There are sample questions, but create those that pull the information you need.
Successful survey models: Use one or a combination.
When and how to hold survey
Conduct your survey(s) in conjunction with a community event. Piggy-back your survey with an event and you will eliminate some of your marketing expense in addition to having a natural gathering place.
Conduct your survey(s) door-to-door so the community board/commission/volunteers hear the answers, provide feedback to questions and generally provide survey respondents with a “safe” means of giving their opinion on your topics
Conduct your survey(s) by web on the Center for Technology and Business website. Participants will be directed to survey area of the site and may fill out the survey online.
Conduct your survey(s) on paper. You may want to drop them off with businesses so their employees can fill them out when it is convenient. You can pick them up later. Paper surveys can be entered into the Palms very quickly
Pick 6-8 businesses – bank, credit union, implement dealer, post office, café, grocery store, etc. where multiple people could complete the survey on paper and turn the surveys in right there.
Make arrangements for a volunteer to survey workers and/or customers in local businesses.
When you’re ready
When we receive your survey questions, we’ll create a survey and load it onto the Palm Pilots. We’ll train you in their use and provide tools to help your volunteers while they conduct the survey.
Palm Pilots are easy to use:
Before beginning, each user needs to set up the Palm Pilot they will use. This process will teach the Palm Pilot how and where the user will tap the display screen to affect a command. (It will be set up for that specific person’s hand-eye coordination.)
Turn on the PalmPilot.
Tap the Home icon until the General Menu appears.
Tap the Welcome icon.
Follow the prompts, tapping the screen with the stylus on the spot indicated.
When finished, tap DONE.
The “tap” needed is a light touch. Do not “press” the screen as you could dent it.
The Survey Palm is best used indoors due to light interference with the LCD display; however, with light from behind the user, outdoor use works OK.
After Survey
After your part of the survey is complete, get the Palm Pilots back to our office within four days. Store the Palms in the charger until ready to transport.
Without continual charging on the dock, the handheld computers will hold your information no longer than seven days with the internal memory available in the unit.
When the PalmPilots are returned, we download the surveys into the computer and compile, analyze and produce your report.
Examples
Underwood – Door to door constituent contacts
Gauged support for Home Rule and local sales tax for pool renovation
Powers Lake, Bowbells, Portal & Kenmare – In-school teen surveys
Measured leisure activity & retail opportunities, employment & wage info
Northwest Ventures Communities – Person to person interviews
Community needs “economic engines” feedback & planning for Northwest Area Foundation sustainable communities report.
Rugby – After election person to person interviews & dropped off with major employers
Housing needs, outmigration related to retirement, and downtown improvements
Beach – Door to door, coffee shop, grocery, other gathering places, person to person
Housing needs, community support for housing development, interest in housing investment and retirement outmigration outlook
Tioga – Conducted during community event, person to person questionnaires
Community & economic development, volunteering for projects, interest in housing investments and housing needs
WomanSong Community Event – One on one paper surveys
Research, participant input – business needs
Killdeer – Planning
Business & community technology training needs
Riverdale – Paper surveys delivered door to door, at boat docks & at businesses
Housing needs, interest in retirement in Riverdale, retail & service needs, housing development needs
Renville County – One-on-one business interviews
Business support needs, service & retail needs, housing, tourism, recreation
Eddy County – Person to person surveys, employers
Short and long term housing needs; commuters & expectations for relocating to New Rockford; income
Mountrail County – Employee one on one interviews
Housing needs: short-term, long-term; commuter issues, relocation, income and affordability
Northwood – Not random, created community record for each household surveyed.
Damage assessment, housing needs, and household assets to develop program opportunities
If you are interested in learning more about how to do a survey in your community, contact us today!
701-223-0707
115 N 2nd St
Bismarck ND 58501
