How to Run Surveys at Every Stage of the Design Cycle

Summary: Most UX surveys are administered during the final Listen phase of the design cycle. However, there are many different types of surveys, which can be used effectively throughout the design cycle.

Surveys are a valuable and frequently utilized tool in the UXer’s toolkit. However, surveys are frequently used for the wrong reason: namely, because professionals incorrectly assume that are quick and easy. Where you are the design cycle should inform the types of surveys that you should run.

Below, we outline some common types of surveys that could be run at various stages of the design cycle, and some questions that it might be handy to ask.

The Design Cycle

As we know, user research can and should be conducted at various stages of the design cycle . That said, different research methods lend themselves more or less seamlessly to various stages. For example, as you can see in the below diagram, surveys as a research method are most commonly associated with the Listen phase of a project.