Optimizing Grid Questions in Mixed-Mode Surveys Across Devices: Challenges and Solutions |
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| Coordinator 1 | Dr Ellen Ebralidze (Leibniz Institute for Educational Trajectories (LIfBi)) |
| Coordinator 2 | Mrs Annette Trahms (Institute for Employment Research (IAB)) |
Mixed-mode surveys face the challenge of ensuring comparability across different modes and devices, including PCs, tablets, and smartphones. A significant difficulty is optimizing grid question layouts to suit all screen sizes while maintaining consistency across modes.
This session will explore constraints and solutions in designing grid formats. We invite practitioners, especially those involved in large-scale surveys, to share their approaches, focusing on mixed-mode designs, mobile-friendliness, potential question format effects, and lessons learned. Specifically, the following questions can be addressed:
• What modes are used for your survey, and how do they interact? Are you using a concurrent mixed-mode design with two or more modes at the same time, a sequential mixed-mode where you start with one mode and let others follow, or a combination? What is the reference mode in your mix?
• In panel studies, how have mixed-mode designs evolved, and have there been changes in the reference mode?
• Is your grid format mobile-friendly, and does the layout differ across devices? How does it compare to the grid display in other modes you may use (e.g. CATI, PAPI)? What question format effects have you observed or anticipate?
• What compromises have you made, what lessons have you learned?
We welcome case studies from researchers, survey methodologists and survey institute experts on this topic.