Workshop 5: Leveraging Technology in Organizational Surveys: Critical Issues in the Online Survey Process 2004

Presenters: Kristofer Fenlason, Data Recognition Corporation
Kate Suckow, Microsoft Corporation

Coordinators: Michelle A. Donovan, Intel Corporation
Kyle Lundby, Data Recognition Corporation

Few forces have changed the face of organizational surveys as much as the development of online technology. Less than 10 years ago it was cutting-edge to conduct an online survey. Today it is commonplace.

By many measures, the use of Web surveys in organizations has been wildly successful. However, the pace of this development and deployment has beenand continues to bebrisk. This session invites participants to take a more reflective walking tour through each stage of the Web survey processfrom survey administration, to data reporting, and follow-up/action planning. We will look back to take stock of how far weve comehighlighting key learnings from practice and researchand look ahead to examine emerging issues that have the potential to significantly affect the survey process but that may not typically receive much attention.

Some of the topics we will cover include:

Design and usability testing of online surveys
Designing surveys for disabled users
Dual mode (Web and paper) surveying
Survey administration success factors
Strategies for ensuring and communicating about anonymity and confidentiality
Security issues
Issues and options in Web reporting
Tracking responses: Legal, practical and ethical considerations

This session provides an introduction and overview of key Web-survey issues. It also includes a review of the current state of research and best practices, and considers critical emerging issues in Web surveys.

Kristofer Fenlason is director of Organization Effectiveness at Data Recognition Corporation (DRC) where he is responsible for developing and providing consulting services in the employee opinion and 360 feedback arenas. Over the last 15 years Kris has provided in-depth survey and 360 feedback consultation to more than 75 clients from a diverse mix of industries including financial, manufacturing, consumer products, packaged foods and food distribution, chemical, oil, communications, and high-tech. Kris received his PhD in I-O psychology from Central Michigan University. He has both published and presented on several of his primary research and consulting interests, including the challenges associated with dual-method (paper and Web) surveying, the usability of Web-based surveys, linkage research, exploring methods for determining relative importance in survey predictors, and job stress.

Kate Suckow is currently a senior researcher in the MS People Research team at Microsoft. Kate manages the MS Poll Survey, Microsofts worldwide employee opinion survey. In addition, she works on initiative teams that span the HR organization (e.g., employee retention, the Microsoft culture), consults on surveys and research being conducted in other parts of the company, conducts other corporate-focused research, and represents Microsoft within the IT Survey Consortium. She has also managed the Exit Survey, Pulse Survey, and the 360 feedback process. Kate received her PhD in I-O psychology from Purdue University. In addition to working at Microsoft, Kate has also worked for both Lucent Technologies and AT&T, within the selection teams. She has published journal articles on the topics of organizational justice and goal modeling. Her conference presentations include topics such as the impact of emotions on job satisfaction, attitudes of temporary employees, testing technology for Web surveys, and the survey cycle and survey changes within Microsoft.

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