Participation level:

Medium (Opinions noted)

Innovation level:

Low (Traditional)

Facilitator skill level, and other support required:

High (Specialist skills)
Medium (Computer & other expertise)

Can be used for:

Engage community
Discover community issues
Communicate an issue

Surveys are designed to collect information from community groups in relation to a particular issue or issues. The results of the surveys provide information about the demographics and/or opinions of a specific group of people. This information can permit decision-making bodies to make better-informed decisions or to better inform the community in relation to an issue or proposal.

Surveys provide information about a community and its opinions; for example, a survey can indicate the number of people who support or oppose specific proposals, their reasons and their demographics.

Provides traceable data.
Can serve an educational purpose.
When properly constructed using good sampling techniques, can reach a broad, representative public or targeted group.
Can derive varied information from the results.
Can help in future planning.

Poorly constructed surveys produce poor results.
Can be expensive if surveying a large audience.
Care must be taken that wording of questions is unambiguous to prevent skewed results.
Care is needed in sampling to make sure representative samples are taken.
Surveys with tick boxes are the fastest and easiest to process, however, this limits the detail in the information collected.
Can be seen as 'counting heads' without necessarily telling you what is in them.

Organizing Survey

How many people to organize?

Medium (2-12 people)
Individual

Time required:

Long (> 6 months)
Medium (6 weeks-6 months)

Cost:

High (> AUD$10,000)
Medium (AUD$1,000-AUD$10,000)
Low (< AUD$1,000)

Find out what is already known, and what relevant surveys are being done or planned elsewhere. This will avoid duplication, and will help establish what you need to find out from your survey.
Talk to locals with strong views and local knowledge to sharpen the focus of the questions.
Survey writing is a skill that improves with practice and feedback, so seek expert advice on the pitfalls and requirements of survey writing, but rely on your own understanding of the issue or topic.
Preliminary investigations, e.g. focus groups or interviews with people on a 'convenience' basis (outside the Town Hall, or in a shopping centre), can help to develop some of the issues/range of questions needed.
Determine how the information is to be obtained. Surveys can be done by asking people questions though the mail (see Questionnaires) or in personal interviews, or by a combination of methods.
Select your target audience. How will you sample them? What stratas of the society or organisation do you need to reach? How will you ensure that your survey gives a representation of the ideas of the group?
Draft the questionnaire or interview guide.
Trial this with a pilot study to ensure the answers will give you the information you wanted. (Check readability and clarity of questions).
Undertake the survey.
Collate and analyse the results.
Write a report and make available to those surveyed, to appropriate authorities, and to the media. If the report is lengthy and/or detailed, provide a synopsis of the key points.