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Special Offer
To celebrate her participation in the podcast, Caroline offers a 15% discount on her book "Surveys That Work" from Rosenfeld Media. Use the code CJFORMS24 at checkout, valid through July 2024.
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Episode Summary: In this episode of the Insights Unlocked podcast, hosts Nathan Isaacs and Mike McDowell are joined by Caroline Jarrett, a leading expert in forms and surveys. Caroline, the author of "Surveys That Work" and "Forms That Work," shares her extensive knowledge on designing effective surveys and forms that yield meaningful insights. Celebrating the 30th anniversary of her consultancy Effortmark, Caroline delves into best practices, common pitfalls, and the evolving role of AI in survey methodologies.
Key Themes:
Importance of interviews before surveys:

Caroline emphasizes starting with interviews to understand the vocabulary and concerns of potential respondents.

Interviews help refine survey questions and ensure they resonate with the target audience.

Focus on the Most Crucial Question(s):

The discussion highlights the need to identify and prioritize the most crucial questions in a survey.

Avoiding lengthy and overwhelming surveys helps maintain respondent engagement and yields more reliable data.

Iterative testing and design:

Caroline and Mike stress the importance of iterative testing in survey design.

Continuous refinement based on feedback ensures that surveys are effective and user-friendly.

Impact of AI on surveys:

The role of AI in surveys is explored, noting that while AI can enhance data processing, human oversight is crucial for interpreting complex responses.

Caroline shares her early experiences with AI in forms, providing a historical perspective on its development.

Practical tips for form design:

The episode includes practical tips for optimizing form design, such as placing confirmatory fields below the initial input fields to reduce errors.

Caroline advocates for avoiding placeholder text inside input boxes, as it can lead to confusion and mistakes.

Guest Information:


Caroline Jarrett on LinkedIn



Website: Effortmark



Social Media: Caroline is active on LinkedIn and Blue Sky, and occasionally checks Twitter as @CJForms.

Special Offer:
Caroline offers a 15% discount on her book "Surveys That Work" from Rosenfeld Media. Use the code CJFORMS24 at checkout, valid through July 2024.
Additional Resources:

Caroline's website provides access to various resources, including a free poster titled "Listen First, Ask Second."

For more insights, listeners can explore Caroline's articles and presentations on form and survey design.

Blog: 4 methods for designing truly engaging customer surveys


Connect with Us:


Nathan Isaacs: Senior Manager for Content Production at UserTesting


Mike McDowell: Senior Solutions Consultant at UserTesting, known for his UX research videos on LinkedIn and YouTube.

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