Hi there, it's Steph 👋

At Google, I ran surveys across 25 countries, twice a year. These days at Two Cents, we’ve surveyed over 22,000 people in just the past year (that’s a full Taylor Swift stadium, every seat filled).

After all those reps, here’s what I’d pass along if we were sitting down over coffee...

Design makes or breaks the entire thing.

A good survey isn’t just a tool for data collection, it’s a user experience.
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The sample might be solid.
The data might look clean.
But if the design is off, the insights fall flat.

One of the first signs your survey isn’t working? Check the open ends (the free-text questions where people respond in their own words).

Here’s how a broken survey shows up in open end data:

• “Huh?”
• “None of these options fit me.”
• “I have no idea how to answer.”

Now compare that to what you hear in the open ends of a well-designed survey:

• “Honestly, there’s too much to watch and not enough brainpower at the end of the day. I end up rewatching The Office because picking something new feels like work.”
• “I’m not tapped out, I’m just running on fumes and pretending that’s normal.”
• “I asked ChatGPT to write my kid’s birthday party invite. It was helpful… but also kind of made me feel like I’ve outsourced my personality.”

The takeaway:

• When design is strong, the story tells itself.
• When it’s not, you end up torturing the data to make it say something.

So how do you catch a flawed survey before it goes live? We pulled together six red flags we’ve learned to spot, before the data disappoints.

Did any of this strike a chord? I’d love to hear from you—I read every message.

TL;DR: A great survey doesn’t feel like homework, it feels like a conversation.

Design with your audience in mind. The more thoughtful the experience, the richer the insights. Yes, it takes more time up front, but it pays off in clarity, trust, and better decisions. I guarantee it.

Field Notes

6 Signs Your Survey Design Might Be the Problem

It’s easy to assume your survey is “fine” once it’s live. But flat data, blank responses, or internal disagreement often point back to one root cause: the design. A well-designed survey doesn’t just collect information, it creates an experience that earns honesty, clarity, and depth.

If your data isn’t giving you what you need, here are 6 things to check:

#1 Your open ends are blank, dry, or sarcastic

• Problem: When open-ended responses are filled with “huh?” or “none of this applies,” that’s not just a bad sample, it’s design feedback. These answers signal that the question didn’t land, lacked emotional relevance, or wasn’t clear enough to answer.
• The Solution: Rework the question to meet people where they are. Instead of asking, “What do you think about this topic?”, try “In your own words, what’s the biggest challenge you’re facing when it comes to [topic]?” When the question feels clear and worthwhile, people respond with depth.

#2 Everyone picks the middle

• Problem: A sea of “neutral” responses doesn’t mean your audience is indecisive, it usually means the question or scale design was too vague. When answer choices blend together, people default to the safe middle.
• The Solution: Use sharper, more distinct language. For example, swap “Strongly disagree” to “Strongly agree” for options like “Doesn’t reflect me at all” to “Describes me exactly.” Clarity gives respondents confidence, and gives you cleaner, more actionable data.

#3 You ask personal questions too early

• Problem: Asking for income or marital status at the start can break trust, especially in professional contexts (e.g., surveys with doctors, analysts, or product teams) where it feels off-topic. Your drop off rates will be high and it'll be difficult to field your study.
• The Solution: Ease them in. Start with broad, engaging questions that feel safe. If you need to ask for personal or demographic details, place them at the end, and make them optional. People are far more likely to answer once they’ve already engaged.

#4 The overall flow is jarring or random

• Problem: If your survey jumps between unrelated topics without warning or contextual copy, it feels like skipping around in a book. That kind of disorientation leads to drop-off and weak data.
• The Solution: Design your survey like a story. Start with big-picture context, move into specific behaviors or attitudes, and close with demographics. Use simple transitions like, “Now a few questions about your daily routine…” to guide the experience.

#5 A colleague can’t make sense of it

• Problem: If someone on your team reads your survey and gets tripped up by a term or question, your respondents definitely will too. And once a survey is live, it’s too late to course-correct that.
• The Solution: Always have someone outside the project review your survey. If they pause, get confused, or ask for clarification, rewrite it. Use plain language, cut the jargon, and aim for a 4th-grade reading level. Clarity is kindness, and better data.

#6 The ending falls flat

• Problem: If your survey ends abruptly or without acknowledgment, it can leave respondents feeling dismissed. That weak ending damages trust, and hurts future participation (especially in branded research!).
• The Solution: End with intention. A quick thank-you and one line about how their input will be used leaves a lasting impression. For example: “Thanks for sharing your perspective. Your responses will help us better understand how to support people like you.” Don’t just exit. Close the loop.

✨ Reading to the end? That’s what thoughtful leaders do, and why your surveys will stand out.​
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We hope these insights help make your work (and your next survey) just a little smoother, smarter, and less painful to decode.

If you're ever staring down a survey draft and thinking “does this even make sense?”—we’re here. At Two Cents, we help teams ask sharper questions, get clearer answers, and make smarter calls... the first time around.

About Us

​Two Cents is a boutique research agency that partners with brands and digital platforms. We don't just gather data, we translate it into actionable insights that fuel winning go-to-market strategies and customer-centric products. Think of us as the bridge between what your customers need and what your business goals are.