Surveys that work: the book and extras

My book on surveys is: Surveys that work: A practical guide for designing better surveys.

If you choose to buy directly from my publisher, Rosenfeld Media, then I’ll be extra happy. But I’m glad to say that it’s available from most online retailers or by ordering from your local bookshop.

The book has a seven-step process

The book takes you through a seven-step process for a survey starting with Goals and ending with Reports.

If you’d like to get a flavour of it, try: Surveys That Work: An excerpt from Chapter 1.

And if you want a speedy introduction, try: The least you can do to improve a survey

This website has a selection of other free extras: things that I couldn’t fit into the book, slides you can use for your own presentations, and other types of supporting material.

Get a discount or sample copy

If you are an event or book club organiser, an academic who would like a sample copy, or willing to commit to writing a review of the book, then Rosenfeld Media would like to hear from you. (Tip: they’re usually really good about this).

Read a few of the reviews

The book about surveys everyone should read…I bought this book after it’s been recommended. I absolutely loved it. Whether you’re just starting out with surveys, want solid fundamentals or are a seasoned professional – this is THE book! It’s practical, easy to follow and fun to read. The visuals and examples help a lot. Caroline has put her expertise and dozens years of experience in a minefield of knowledge. Thank you! Katharina Webhofer

Essential handbook for running reliable surveys…I’ve been a user researcher for over a decade, and in that time written hundreds of surveys. I’ve never found a book as good as Surveys That Work for explaining a reliable, repeatable process for creating robust surveys. Steve B.

Relevant, quick and easy to use…I am no expert of designing surveys and do not want to be. So when I had to conduct a survey for another purpose this book provided me with what I wanted, immediately. I went from ‘fool’ status to ‘competent’ in less than a day. Exactly what I needed at the time. Graham Curtis

The book I always send colleagues to read first…In user research we often get asked by designers, product managers and engineers to help with ‘getting a survey out’, and, because we all receive and answer surveys ourselves, the form and shape of the questions seems familiar, and therefore obvious. This is the resource I direct people towards: it helps you clarify your intentions, sharpen your language, question the purpose and value of the data you’re trying to gather, and pick the right structure. When people are in a hurry – they are always in a hurry – I insist they read chapter 3, and edit their survey in the light of that before going ahead. It always makes things better. Martin S.

A great investment for anyone without a quant reserach background…My favourite parts of the book… are the little extras in there. Caroline provides a solid critique of some established gold standards – NPS, statistical significance, even Likert scales. And I love the checklists and acceptance criteria, along with the pragmatic guides for survey improvement (sized for every time-budget). These really reduce the book down to its most actionable essence, and turn it from a book I’ve learned loads from into a reference book I’ll refer back to regularly. Odd