When to Use Open Text
Open text questions excel at capturing:- Reasons and motivations: Why participants feel or behave a certain way
- Detailed feedback: Specific suggestions and complaints
- Unexpected insights: Ideas you hadn’t considered
- Personal stories: Experiences and examples
- Clarification: Follow-up to structured questions
“What could we do to improve your experience with our product?” [Text area for response]
Types of Open Text Questions
Short Answer
Brief responses, typically one line or sentence. Use for:- Specific information (names, locations)
- Brief explanations
- Quick feedback
“What brand do you use most often?”
Long Answer (Paragraph)
Extended responses with more detail. Use for:- Detailed explanations
- Stories and experiences
- Comprehensive feedback
“Please describe your most recent experience with our customer service team.”
Creating Open Text Questions
1
Add an Open Text Question
Use AI chat (“Add an open-ended question about…”) or add manually.
2
Write the Question
Be specific about what you want to learn. Vague questions get vague answers.
3
Add Instructions (Optional)
Guide participants on expected detail level or specific aspects to address.
4
Configure Settings
Set required/optional, character limits, and display options.
Writing Effective Open Text Questions
Be Specific
Vague questions get vague answers. Specific questions get useful data.| Vague | Specific |
|---|---|
| ”Any feedback?" | "What one thing would most improve this product?" |
| "Describe your experience" | "Describe a recent situation where this product helped you solve a problem" |
| "What do you think?" | "What concerns, if any, do you have about switching to this service?” |
Provide Context
Reference previous questions or set the scene. Example:“You mentioned you were dissatisfied with the delivery time. Please tell us more about that experience.”
Use Prompting Techniques
| Technique | Example |
|---|---|
| Completion | ”The best thing about this product is…” |
| Comparison | ”Compared to other brands, this one…” |
| Scenario | ”Imagine you’re recommending this to a friend. What would you say?” |
| Negative framing | ”What would make you stop using this product?” |
Guide Without Leading
Provide structure without suggesting answers. Good: “What factors influenced your decision?” Leading: “How much did the great reviews influence your decision?”Open Text Best Practices
Setting Expectations
Character or Word Limits
You can set minimum or maximum lengths:- Minimum: Ensures some level of detail
- Maximum: Keeps responses manageable
Example Responses
Sometimes providing an example helps:“Example: ‘I love the quick checkout process, but wish there were more payment options.’”Use sparingly to avoid anchoring participants to your example.
Analyzing Open Text Responses
Open text questions require qualitative analysis:AI-Powered Analysis
Deepfield’s AI can:- Identify themes and patterns
- Group similar responses
- Extract key quotes
- Summarize findings
Manual Review
For deeper insights:- Read through all responses
- Tag or code responses by theme
- Look for patterns and outliers
- Extract compelling quotes
Integration with Reports
Open text responses appear in your analysis reports with:- Theme categorization
- Representative quotes
- Citation links to full responses
Common Open Text Patterns
Follow-Up to Rating
After a satisfaction question:“What is the main reason for your satisfaction rating?”
Improvement Questions
“If you could change one thing about [product], what would it be and why?”
Comparison Questions
“How does [product] compare to others you’ve tried? What makes it better or worse?”
Future-Looking Questions
“What features would you like to see added in the future?”
Final Comments
At the end of a study:“Is there anything else you’d like to share about your experience?”
Common Mistakes
Too many open text questions
Too many open text questions
Answering open text questions takes effort. Limit to 3-5 per study unless it’s specifically qualitative research.
Vague questions
Vague questions
“Tell us about your experience” is too broad. Guide participants on what specifically to address.
Leading questions
Leading questions
“Why do you love this feature?” assumes they love it. Use neutral phrasing.
No context
No context
Don’t ask open text questions in isolation. Build on previous structured questions.
Requiring long responses
Requiring long responses
Forcing detailed responses when participants have little to say produces poor quality data.
Open Text vs. Video/Audio
| Factor | Open Text | Video/Audio |
|---|---|---|
| Effort for participant | Medium | Higher |
| Depth of insight | Good | Excellent |
| Non-verbal cues | None | Captured |
| Analysis complexity | Lower | Higher |
| Participant preference | Some prefer writing | Some prefer speaking |