Skip contents

Use the correct survey software and informed consent wording

You must only use appropriate, approved software for your survey. You must also always use the correct informed consent wording.

Which survey software to use

There are two standard survey software tools available to all DfE user researchers: Qualtrics and Microsoft Forms.

Your team or business area may also have other approved tools available for you to use. Check with your delivery manager or lead user researcher. You must never use a survey tool that hasn't been approved for use in DfE.

The tool you should use depends on the audience, type and complexity of the survey.

Surveys that required a survey champions review

If your respondents are people outside of DfE, you must always use Qualtrics.

If your respondents are internal DfE staff only, you can use Qualtrics or MS Forms. Qualtrics will be more appropriate if you want:

  • complex branching or logic
  • advanced question types
  • to schedule when invitations are sent, or use a range of methods for sending invitations
  • to make claims of statistical significance in your data
  • to analyse data within the tool (rather than in Excel or other software)

Other survey-like methods

For other survey-like methods that do not require a survey champion approval (including forms used to collect open text responses for qualitative analysis, card sorts, tree tests, etc) you can use Qualtrics or MS Forms.

Participant recruitment sign-ups and screeners

Use MS Forms, unless your team is already using a different tool (e.g. a specialist panel management platform or CRM that has been approved for use in DfE).

We are currently developing new guidance and standards for user research participant recruitment panels and lists. Look out for announcements in the user research community Teams channel.

User feedback forms on services (exit surveys)

Follow this guidance to correctly gather user feedback on your service

You must gather informed consent from all survey participants before they take part in any survey, using an approved informed consent wording for surveys:

Further help and advice