A survey/screener helps User Researchers secure the best participants for our studies. The primary goal is to screen IN the people best suited to provide feedback about the specific topic and screen OUT those who are not.

To begin, we identify the attitudinal and or behavioral characteristics of the people we are designing for or looking to learn about. I suggest identifying three characteristics to INCLUDE (screen IN) and three to EXCLUDE (screen OUT) as a starting point.

The survey/screener should also include criteria for HOW people will participate.

For example, a screener to test a prototype should also pose questions about the platform we are studying. Are we testing a desktop or mobile prototype?

If it’s a desktop prototype, our “must have” criteria should “screen OUT” people who cannot participate from a laptop or desktop computer.

Why? Because we don’t want people to interact with a desktop prototype from a mobile device!

It seems obvious but it’s often overlooked.

Learn more about surveys, screeners and participant pools in my SURVEY/SCREEN class.

Illustration by Jody Pham