When creating a survey, what is the best practice regarding questionnaire length?

The ideal length for a survey is designed to balance the depth of information collected with the attention span and willingness of respondents to complete the survey. A survey that takes no longer than 15 minutes to complete is considered a best practice because this timeframe is typically manageable for respondents and helps maximize response rates.

Surveys that extend beyond this duration may lead to participant fatigue, resulting in lower completion rates and potentially lower quality responses, as respondents may rush through or abandon the survey altogether. Keeping the survey concise encourages thoughtful participation and yields higher quality data.

While some might argue that longer surveys or more questions could provide richer data, the reality is that quality usually trumps quantity in achieving reliable insights. Therefore, maintaining a survey length that is both respectful of the respondent's time and effective in gathering necessary information is crucial for successful data collection.