Using Surveys to Understand the Impact of Your Work
Surveys are a structured way of gathering data using a set of predefined questions. They can be completed on paper, online, or verbally, and are useful for collecting insights into opinions or experiences. Surveys can be simple and quick, or more in-depth, depending on what evidence you need. They will only generate evidence of impact if you have data to compare with.
Example (small-scale): After a community workshop, participants complete a short survey (on paper or a tablet) to rate their experience and describe any benefits or changes they felt.
Example (large-scale): An organisation runs an annual visitor survey to understand who attends their events, why they come, what they value, and includes questions from the question bank to assess social impact (such as, sense of belonging, wellbeing, skills gained, or community connection).
Will a survey work for you?
Why it works
- Useful at different scales, whether for a quick exit survey or as part of a formal evaluation
- Can gather both numbers (for example, % of people who felt welcomed) and stories (such as, how someone felt changed by the experience)
- Before and after surveying creates a strong evidence base
Watch out for
- Survey fatigue, if surveys are too long or too frequent
- Might exclude people with literacy or access needs, if not well supported
- Closed questions might miss richer, personal feedback unless open responses are also included
- Needs thoughtful question selection and follow-up analysis to be meaningful
- Make sure the survey has a clear purpose and that a survey is the best way to collect the evidence
- Be careful about making claims the evidence does not support
Resources
Equipment
For small surveys, you can use paper forms, pens, tablets, or phones.
For large surveys you will need access to a survey platform (such as Google Forms, MS Forms or SmartSurvey), plus tools for translation or accessibility.
Staff
As well as somebody to select and prepare survey questions, allocate team members who can be support staff to assist respondents and monitor survey completion. Once you close the survey, a data lead role to process and analyse the responses.
Cost
Low to medium. Costs include printing and staff time for small-scale surveys. Larger surveys take more time and resource, especially if you need support with analysing the responses or accessibility advice.
Ease of use
- Easy to moderately easy to use
- Quick surveys are simple to run
- Large-scale surveys need more planning but give rich, usable data
How to design and run your survey
For advice and examples on designing effective surveys read:
Familiarise yourself with the 6 areas of social impact for heritage and pick a few indicators that are relevant to your project aims.
Download the social impact survey question bank and choose relevant questions. You will not need, and should not use all the questions. Keep surveys short for quick feedback (5–10 questions) or longer for in-depth ones (up to 20). Note that demographic and personal questions should always be optional.
If you want to collect data before and after an activity, make sure you identify the right questions for this.
Ensure you select the right questions for visitors or volunteers.
Quick feedback: use paper forms, QR codes, or tablets on-site. Be prepared to support people with using tablets and QR codes, not everyone knows how to.
Larger surveys: send digital forms via email, newsletters, or social media. Offer printed versions for people who are less digitally confident.
In-person: ask questions verbally and note responses if literacy is a barrier. Be mindful of asking personal questions directly, as people may not feel comfortable answering them.
Prepare a data privacy notice and ensure your data collection methods and policies comply with UK data protection laws.
Appoint someone to be responsible for looking after the data.
See advice on Data Protection for Beginners from SmartSurvey
Run a pilot with 2 or 3 people. Check that the questions are clear and the format works smoothly.
Let people know that their input matters, and that you’re especially interested in what difference the event made for them, not just what they liked or did not like. Offer support as needed. Assure people of anonymity.
Be clear about how responses will be used, and ensure personal data is handled appropriately and in compliance with the UK data protection laws.
For helpful guidance on analysis read How to analyse survey responses by The Audience Agency.
It is important to share the results of your analysis with the people who you work with as well as with any funders. See the National Lottery Community Fund's advice on how to use and share your learning
Other methods for gathering evidence
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Counting Visitors
The options for counting the number of people participating in your heritage activities, with their strengths and weaknesses highlighted.
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Informal Group Conversations
Informal group conversations are a relaxed way to explore people's feelings, experiences, and any changes your work has brought about for them.
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Wall of Words
A quick and informal way of capturing immediate reactions of participants at an event through written comments on a shared display.
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Photo Stories
Participants document their experiences and thoughts over time through photos or drawings, providing rich insights into the impact of a program.
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Experience Mapping
Participants create visual maps that show their emotions, thoughts, or experiences at different points during a journey such as a programme or event.