These things must be included in your survey report

The report you draw up should first explain the most important results, and later come back to it and underpin the conclusions with a broader analysis. First capture attention, then give an overview and eventually understanding is created.

In the analysis of the results, you will hopefully come up with interesting conclusions, even if these are not direct answers in terms of the purpose of the survey. This could be, for example, a finding concerning a previously unknown quality in a specific customer group. It might be interesting for the reader or audience to participate in this, but always bear in mind that the primary expectation is quick answers to relevant conclusions which affect the main purpose of the survey.

Based on the conclusions drawn from the results, you should describe the different measures you think should be implemented.

Other findings from the survey that are not regarded as highly significant or interesting should also be included, but rather put it into an appendix. This could be, for example, results that are not linked to recommended measures, but all the same should be included for the purpose of documenting the results, and for those who want a thorough review of the results from the whole survey.

You can also include graphs in the appendix that provide information on the composition of the sample, such as how the number/proportion of the sample is distributed in terms of gender, division, region, etc. It is often not necessary to include statistics such as medians and standard deviances. On the other hand, the report should include information on how many participants there were in the survey and how many answered the question concerned. Bear in mind clarity and communicability when choosing colors and diagram types.

Some Tips for the Report

• Feel free to give the report/presentation a special look (colors, fonts, etc.) that corresponds with your organization’s visual profile. 

• Don’t use too small typesetting, this is especially important if the report will also be used for presentations, and must be easy to read from a distance. 

• Use the same color for units (e.g. “Men”) where the unit is included. 

• Use colors that are easy to distinguish between in graphs and diagrams. 

• Don’t use complex graphics and too many comparisons in the same image. It might be hard to interpret the results, and also gives an unclear message. Extensive use of 3D diagrams, for example, is not recommended. 

• Avoid adding too many effects and interfering elements to the slides. It should be easy to gauge the results from quickly scanning the slide, at the same time as it should be pleasant to look at. 

• Be conscious of what type of graph or diagram you choose to use. Preferably, you should add some variety so as to avoid monotony, while still being aware that different types of graphs and diagrams are suited to different purposes and presentations. 

•  In rating scale questions, where numbers are used to describe each value in the scale, it would be most effective to present these with the average score. This provides a good overview, it simplifies comparisons of the questions and you can quickly see which areas distinguish themselves, negatively or positively.