Open-Ended Questions: Tips, Techniques, and Common Examples

Now let’s take a look at some best practices to add open-ended questions to your surveys effectively and write great questions.

1. Begin with genuine interest

Creating impactful open-ended questions starts with a spark of genuine interest in your respondent’s perspective.

Demonstrating that you value their thoughts and experiences encourages more open and honest communication. Approach your questions with curiosity, aiming to uncover insights that you genuinely want to explore.

2. Use neutral starters

Questions that begin with “What” set a neutral stage, allowing respondents to share their thoughts without bias.

For instance, asking open-ended questions like “What are your thoughts on our new product?” is more inviting than “Do you like our new product?”

This neutrality helps in avoiding leading the respondent toward a particular answer.

3. Maintain focus and simplicity

Open-ended questions should hone in on specific aspects of the topic within a clear context. Use straightforward language that’s free of jargon and bias.

This approach not only promotes understanding but also encourages respondents to provide elaborate, considered responses. For example, “What challenges did you face during the project?” is clear and focused.

4. Avoid being too broad or vague

While open-ended questions are meant to encourage expansive answers, questions that are too broad can be intimidating or confusing.

A question like “What do you think about the future?” is too vague. Instead, ask open-ended questions that aim for specificity like “What changes do you foresee in our industry over the next year?”

This balance helps respondents focus their thoughts and provide detailed answers.

5. Combine open-ended and closed-ended questions

Impactful open-ended questions often work best when used alongside close-ended questions.

Start with a closed-ended question to establish a baseline response, then follow up with an open-ended question for deeper exploration.

For example, after asking, “Did you find our customer service helpful?” you could follow up with, “What aspects of our customer service did you find most helpful and why?”

This combination fosters rich dialogue and reveals nuanced insights.

6. Provide context

Ensure your questions provide enough context to guide the respondent without leading them.

For instance, instead of asking, “What do you think about our marketing?” you could ask, “What do you think about our latest social media campaign?”

This helps respondents understand what you’re asking and focus their responses accordingly.