Conducting a survey doesn't have to be complicated, expensive, nor time-consuming.
"How can we quickly survey a community of 1,000 families in 10 city blocks to see who has been vaccinated? It has to be done in two weeks with a budget of $200. Not all families or on social media. Door-to-door canvassing isn't feasible with COVID safety measures. The solution has to be simple as our team is not very tech-savvy."
Neighborhoods Inc. of Battle Creek, a non-profit community group in Michigan posed this challenge to DemLabs. Here are the details on the solution designed for them using free, proven apps. Try this innovative approach for your next survey to collect more responses in less time.
Conduct surveys smarter
How the QR Code survey works
Most smartphone cameras include a QR code scanner. You have probably seen this at restaurants which use this QR code feature to display their menus. Simply point your phone's camera at the QR code and you're directed to a website. In this project, the QR code launches the online survey. The survey responses immediately appear in a Google Sheet ready for analysis. That's all there is to it!
Try it out for yourself by scanning the QR code above or clicking on this link to the survey. Fill out the survey with any name and check this URL to see how your survey response has been saved.
Conduct smarter surveys - GIF
How to conduct a smart survey
- Design your survey questionnaire in Google Forms, a free app.
- This is the link to the survey we created.
- Convert the link to your survey into a QR code with QR Code Generator, another free app.
- Add the QR code to a printed flyer or share it online through Twitter, Facebook or Instagram.
- All the responses are collected and shown immediately in a Google Sheets, also free.
- This is the Google Sheet where survey responses are saved.
Conduct smarter surveys - 1 min video
Community organizing in Michigan
The best ideas come from the collaboration of grassroots groups and tech innovators. These two groups inspired this DemLabs solution for a free way to quickly conduct community surveys.
Neighborhood Inc. of Battle Creek Michigan - promotes stable, healthy homes and neighborhoods by providing services and educational programs focused on low to moderate income families in the greater Battle Creek area.
Southwestern Michigan Urban League - builds bridges between races and has sought to emphasize the greater reliance on the unique resources and strengths of the African-American community to find solutions to its own problems. Learn more about SMUL.
Takeaway: Smart innovation reduces the burden of fund raising and enables grassroots groups make a bigger impact with less money. Search this catalog of over 350 cases studies to see if there is a free/affordable solution that might help your cause. Let us know of other needs that could benefit from some frugal innovation.
Deepak
DemLabs
Image credit: AbsolutVision on Unsplash