Open and Closed Survey Questions: How to Use Both Effectively

A customer gives your service a score of seven out of ten. That tells you how they rated their experience, but it doesn’t explain what worked—or what could have been better.

Ask them to describe the experience in their own words and you may learn more. You’ll also have a different kind of answer to interpret.

Open and closed questions each have a useful role in survey research. Choosing between them starts with what you need to understand and how you’ll use the responses.

What Is a Closed Question?

A closed question asks someone to choose from a set of answers. This might be a yes-or-no response, a rating scale or a list of contact methods.

For example: “How did you most recently contact us?” The options could include telephone, email, website form, in person and another method.

Closed questions can make it straightforward to summarise responses and compare groups. They’re useful when you need to understand how common an experience is or track a measure over time.

The answer options matter, though. If the right response isn’t available, people may choose an inaccurate answer or leave the question blank.

What Is an Open Question?

An open question lets people answer in their own words.

For example: “What, if anything, could we have done to make your recent enquiry easier?”

Instead of choosing from your list of possible improvements, respondents can explain what mattered to them. They might mention something you hadn’t considered, such as an unclear letter or difficulty finding the right person to speak to.

These answers can help you understand the reasons behind a score. They also need time to read, organise and interpret.

Start With the Decision You Need to Make

Before choosing a question format, think about what the answer needs to help you do.

If you need to know which contact channels customers use, a closed question may be enough. If you need to understand why a process feels difficult, an open question could reveal useful detail.

Our guide to what makes a good research question explains why a clear purpose is a useful starting point.

Avoid adding a comment box simply because there’s space. Be clear about who will review the answers and how they could inform a decision.

Use the Two Together

A focused combination can give you both a measure and an explanation.

You could ask:

• “Overall, how easy or difficult was it to get your enquiry resolved?” Use a balanced scale running from very easy to very difficult.

• “What was the main reason for your answer?” Provide an optional comment box.

The first question helps you see the overall pattern. The second can help explain it.

Keep the follow-up neutral. Asking “What went wrong?” assumes there was a problem, while “What was the main reason for your answer?” allows people to describe positive, negative or mixed experiences.

Give People Answers That Fit

Closed questions need options that reflect the audience’s experiences.

Where appropriate, include “don’t know”, “not applicable” or “haven’t used this service”. These have different meanings and shouldn’t automatically be combined.

Make it clear whether people should select one answer or several. If you ask for their most recent contact method, one answer may be suitable. If you ask which methods they used during the past month, they may need to select more than one.

For rating scales, label the choices clearly and keep the direction consistent throughout the questionnaire.

Keep Written Answers Manageable

Several broad comment questions can make a survey demanding to complete. They can also produce more material than your team has time to analyse properly.

Ask focused questions and avoid combining several requests in one box. “What could we improve about our website, telephone service and written communication?” asks people to cover three different subjects.

When reviewing comments, look for recurring themes while keeping unusual but potentially important experiences visible. A few memorable comments shouldn’t be treated as proof of what everyone thinks. Our article on reliable survey results explores the importance of considering the wider evidence.

Test Before You Launch

Try the questionnaire with people who reflect your intended audience. Check whether they understand the wording, can find suitable answer options and know what you’re asking them to explain.

A pilot survey can help identify these issues before the main research begins.

Review the trial responses too. If people repeatedly explain the same missing option in an “other” box, your closed question may need updating.

Choose Questions You Can Act On

A useful questionnaire gives people a clear way to share their experiences and gives your organisation information it can use.

At Viewpoint, our research services help organisations plan surveys, gather feedback and understand what it means. If you’re developing a questionnaire or reviewing an existing one, get in touch to discuss your next project.