How to make Questionnaires and Surveys more accessible.

Create Accessible Documents

Accessibility is about making the information you are preparing clearer and easier for everyone to understand. 

Corporate guidance on creating accessible content, including; Word, Outlook, Excel, Powerpoint and PDF's is available on our staff key support to help you create accessible content webpages

Design and layout

The council approved templates have taken into account a number of accessibility requirements as part of the design, including colour contrast, font and font size but there are further things to consider when designing your survey to support accessibility themes

Council templates can be selected on Smart Survey under the 'Theme' tab, 'Shared Themes' and the preferred options are 'GCC Standard (with SCN Validation)' or 'Accessible (Contrast, Font and Size)'.

Language

Keep language clear and simple. This can help make your survey accessible with cognitive impairments, learning disabilities as well people who are not fluent in English. Where you need to use technical terms, abbreviations or acronyms, explain what they mean the first time you use them.

Structure

• Clearly state what the survey is about.
• Say how many questions there are, or use a progress indicator.
• Allow people to save and return to the survey, especially if it's long.
• Do not use images containing text.
• Do not use bold to show headings.

Question Types

Rankings

When asking readers to rank items, use words rather than numbers as the scale. Too often, people need to repeatedly refer to the legend which can be confusing.

Good example:

• Question: Rate your coffee
• Answer: hot, tepid, cold

Bad example:

• Question: Rate your coffee
• Answer: 1, 2, 3 (1=hot, 2=tepid, 3=cold)

Negative Answers

Avoid posing questions in the negative so that the reader has to answer "yes" to confirm a negative as this can be confusing.

• Good example: Do you support freedom of speech?
• Bad example: Are you opposed to freedom of speech?

Grids/Matrix questions

Grids or tables are difficult for screen reader users to navigate. The title row is only read aloud once and is very challenging for respondents to remember the options at each question.  These types of questions are often used for aesthetic reasons and to keep the survey to the point.  However, consideration needs to be given to this type of questions incompatibility with access support tools and alternative versions could be made available on request. 

Example of Matrix question:

If a respondent requests a screen reader compatible version you can support this request by creating a copy of the survey on Smart Survey and splitting matrix questions into individual questions for example instead of a grid of 5 rows there would be 5 separate multiple choice questions.

Step by step instructions for responding to this request can be found on the 'How To respond section to a request for a Screen Reader compatible version of a survey.'

Images

If using an image as part of the question or answer, provide a text equivalent so screen reader users can interpret it.

You can add alternative text by right clicking on the image, selecting 'edit alt text', and adding a description of what the image contains. For example,  if it is a graph or chart you should include a description of the information being presented.

Alternative Formats and Languages

The above suggestions are key steps in supporting the accessibility of our questionnaires and surveys. We can also help to raise awareness that alternative language or formats are available on request in order to make sure that there is equal access to engagement.  You can include an infographic, this is more inclusive for those who cannot read English.

Or you can include a written version

'This information can be made available in a variety of alternate formats and community languages on request. If you would like more information about this or would like to request an alternative format or language, please contact .......'

The alternative format icon can be found in the images gallery within Smart Survey.