Choosing online survey tool

Tools for implementing surveys:

• Microsoft 365 Forms
• Webropol
• LimeSurvey
• REDCap
• Maptionnaire

The default tool for conducting surveys is Microsoft 365 Forms. In terms of versatility, Webropol sits between Microsoft Forms and LimeSurvey. For the most complex surveys, LimeSurvey is recommended. LimeSurvey and REDCap are also suitable for collecting sensitive data, provided that the procedures described in the systems’ help pages are observed.

Microsoft 365 Forms

M365 Forms allows you to create surveys and questionnaires and to easily share them with respondents. The system contains a variety of question types, including multiple choice questions, quizzes, and open-ended responses. It is also possible to respond to M365 Forms surveys with mobile devices. You can view the responses in aggregate or individually or download the data in an Excel file for processing outside the system. The service is easy to use and typically requires no special learning. M365 Forms is recommended for simple surveys and, for example, event registration.

All members of the Universities community may use M365 Forms with their TUNI account at
https://forms.office.com. Responding to a survey does not require a TUNI account unless the survey has been configured to require authentication.

Instructions

• Getting started with Microsoft Forms
• Sign in to the Eduhouse pages with Microsoft account and there you will find courses on Forms and other useful learning material.
• Sending an email verification from an O365 Forms survey (pdf)

Webropol

LimeSurvey

LimeSurvey is especially suitable for more complex surveys for research purposes. For example, you can randomise the order of the questions, measure the time spent filling in the form, and edit a question based on the answers to previous questions. There are several different types of questions, such as sliders, ranking questions, and versatile table-based question types. It is possible to adjust the layout with your own colours and fonts.

LimeSurvey is only recommended if the features of the simpler Microsoft 365 Forms are not sufficient. The system is very versatile and it requires users to be familiar with its features and configuration options. Additionally, please note that LimeSurvey has accessibility shortcomings (see the accessibility statement).

LimeSurvey can be used with TUNI email on https://surveys.tuni.fi/lime/admin/.

Instructions for LimeSurvey

• You can view and complete a sample survey from the respondent’s perspective via this link.
• You can also create a custom copy of the sample survey using an .lss file. The instructions for doing this are available in Limesurvey’s administration interface.  When you select “Create a new survey” and “Import”, you can download the .lss file as the basis for your questionnaire and see how it is built. Download the .lss file here.
• Please note: TUNI LimeSurvey is intended for regular use. If you have a survey where you are expecting several hundred responses per hour please contact IT Helpdesk so that we can estimate if there is a need for additional resources to the server. TUNI LimeSurvey is hosted in our own premises.
• LimeSurvey’s user instructions
• Some TUNI-specific instructions
• Quick guide to LimeSurvey (PDF)
• Lime Survey: exporting expired surveys and deleting them from the system (pdf)

Accessibility status

The accessibility status of the LimeSurvey service is Partially compliant. The reason is that there are deficiencies in the accessibility of the LimeSurvey platform, particularly within the administration interface and in certain survey presentation formats and components, which prevent smooth use in all situations.

Non-accessible content and justifications

The deficiencies described below concern the LimeSurvey platform and/or the theme and question types in use. These shortcomings can be addressed by customising the theme and providing guidance on survey design.

Keyboard navigation and form components

• Navigating between questions/answers using the TAB key does not work reliably, which limits the ability of keyboard users to respond.
• Impact on the user: The user cannot progress using only the keyboard, or the focus “jumps” illogically, causing the user to get stuck or forcing them to use a mouse, which is not possible for everyone.

Screen readers and semantic markup

• In some themes and question types, a screen reader may not interpret the overall structure correctly (e.g. answer groups, matrices, mandatory indicators).
• Impact on the user: The screen reader may not interpret the grouping of answer options correctly and may read them out of context (“option 1, option 2”), or question-and-answer relationships may not be presented clearly.

Question types without automatic alternative presentation

• LimeSurvey may not automatically provide an alternative “fallback” presentation in situations where a particular question type is impossible for the user (e.g. complex matrix for certain assistive devices).
• Impact on the user: An individual matrix, drag-and-drop, or otherwise complex question may prevent completion of the survey.

Administration interface (for survey creators)

• The accessibility of the administration interface is not yet fully WCAG-compliant, which may limit equal working opportunities for survey creators.
• Impact on the user: If you use assistive devices, creating surveys may be more difficult than responding to them.

JavaScript dependency

• Many functions require JavaScript.
• Impact on the user: This may cause problems for users whose computer or mobile device has JavaScript restricted or disabled (for security or assistive technology compatibility reasons).

Poor performance on slow or old devices

• LimeSurvey requires sufficient performance from the user’s computer or mobile device.
• Impact on the user: Device slowness may hinder, for example, users with cognitive limitations.

What are the consequences of the limited accessibility?

• Some respondents are unable to complete the survey → increased dropout rate
• Responding is more laborious → more errors and interruptions
• In practice, some user groups may be completely excluded

Possible solutions

• Avoid question types that are known to be risky for accessibility, or provide alternative implementations for them.
• Use a theme with good keyboard accessibility and screen reader readability.
• Provide, upon request, an alternative response channel (e.g. accessible form, a Word document, or a phone-based option).

REDCap

REDCap (Research Electronic Data Capture) is a secure browser-based tool for building and managing surveys and databases. It is widely used in medical research, but it is also suitable for processing more sensitive human sciences data. REDCap is primarily a system for collecting research data. REDCap includes a survey feature as one of the data collection options, but for practical reasons, REDCap should generally not be used solely for conducting surveys, especially by users who are new to the system. Find more instructions on the page REDCap.

Maptionnaire

Maptionnaire is a map-based survey tool. It has long been used in city planning as a participation tool, but is suitable for all research and development activities based particularly on map and image annotations. With Maptionnaire data can be collected, analyzed, and visualized. The service is used through an online questionnaire editor.

If you are interested in using Maptionnaire, please join our university’s Maptionnaire Teams: TG-Maptionnaire.

IT Helpdesk
+358 294 520 500
it-helpdesk [at] tuni.fi (it-helpdesk[at]tuni[dot]fi)
helpdesk.tuni.fi