Permalink of this method: https://www.universalforesight.com/uf-methods-bank/11261
| Nature of the method: | Qualitative Methods |
|---|
Surveys, like interviews, are a fundamental tool of social research, and are
widely used in foresight. A questionnaire is distributed or made available
online, and responses drawn from what is usually hoped to be a large pool of
respondents.
High participation rates generally require attractive and clear
design of the survey instrument. Most surveys – e.g. Delphi surveys – are
mainly “close-ended”, requiring respondents to reply by checking boxes;
though surveys can also request much more qualitative responses, for
example asking respondents to suggest key technological breakthroughs or
socio-economic drivers. More quantifiable survey results can be used to
examine the distribution of views across the respondent population, etc.