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diff --git a/docs/running/surveys.md b/docs/running/surveys.md new file mode 100644 index 000000000..fbb889b61 --- /dev/null +++ b/docs/running/surveys.md @@ -0,0 +1,175 @@ +--- +layout: page +title: FixMyStreet's surveys +author: dave +--- + +# FixMyStreet's surveys + +<p class="lead"> + By default, four weeks after a user reports a problem, FixMyStreet sends an + email inviting that user to complete a survey (which we also sometimes call a + questionnaire). The survey is presented as a page on the site that asks the + user about the current + <a href="{{ "/glossary/#state" | relative_url }}" class="glossary__link">state</a> + of the problem (for example, it may have been fixed), and lets them add an + <a href="{{ "/glossary/#update" | relative_url }}" class="glossary__link">update</a> + too. +</p> + +We recommend that you keep this feature enabled, because it gives you +useful data about the problems that have been reported on your site, and +an indication of the performance of the +<a href="{{ "/glossary/#body" | relative_url }}" class="glossary__link">bodies</a> +that should be fixing them. Some users will report a problem and then won't +really think about it after that. We're happy with this, because it's how the +site is supposed to work — reporting a problem is easy and doesn't demand +any further interaction. + +That's why sending a survey email a month later works well. It serves as a +reminder, and it helps ensure that the reports that have been fixed have their +states set accordingly. + +Of course, it's possible that the problem has already been marked as fixed (or +indeed any other state). The questionnaire is an opportunity for the user who +reported the problem to confirm or change this. + +The email contains a unique link to a page on the site, inviting the reporter +to set the state of the problem and, optionally, to add an update. Updates can +include photographs, so sometimes users add a picture to show the repair or +fix. + +The survey link is authorised for the user who submitted the problem report, +because it's been sent directly to the email address they've registered with +your site. This means that the survey is easy for them to access and complete. + +Each survey updates and collects data concerning a _single_ report. It's not +a questionnaire about the general performance of your site. + +## Follow-up surveys + +If the user doesn't confirm that the problem has been fixed, FixMyStreet will +offer to send another survey in another four weeks. That's an opt-in question: +the process will repeat with a new email and survey in four weeks' time, but +only because the user agreed to this. + +## The survey email + +The email that is sent out is made using the `questionnaire.txt` template. The +default is in `/templates/email/default/`. Of course, you should override this +in your own +<a href="{{ "/glossary/#cobrand" | relative_url }}" class="glossary__link">cobrand</a> +— see more about +[customising email templates]({{ "/customising/templates/#emails" | relative_url }}). + +The email message contains a link to the survey page that includes a token that +authenticates the user who submitted the report (this is possible because it is +sent directly to their own email address). + +The basic wording of the email is shown below. We put more information in the +footer (such as links to the site and related social media), and include the +text of the report that was submitted. + + Hello Anne Example, + + 4 weeks ago, you reported a problem using FixMyStreet. + + The details of that report are at the end of this email. + + To keep FixMyStreet up to date and relevant, we'd appreciate it if + you could follow the link below and fill in our short questionnaire + updating the status of your problem: + + https://fixmystreet.example.com/Q/BJ6muiBaxLwuF7kwqo + + All the best, + + The FixMyStreet team + ... + +## What's in the survey? + +The default survey invites the user to make an +<a href="{{ "/glossary/#update" | relative_url }}" class="glossary__link">update</a> +to the problem report: + + * change the <a href="{{ "/glossary/#state" | relative_url }}" class="glossary__link">state</a> + — for example, to _fixed_, because it's been fixed (unless it was + already in that state) + * add a comment or description (optional) + * upload a photo (also optional) + +It also asks: + + * have you ever reported a problem to the body before? + * (if the problem has not been marked as fixed) do you want to receive + another survey email in four weeks' time? + +The default template is defined in `/templates/web/default/questionnaire/*`, +with the questions in `index`. As with all templates, you can override +these with your own cobrand — for details, see +[customising templates]({{ "/customising/templates/#emails" | relative_url }}). + +Note that if you want to collect other data in your survey, you'll need to +update the source code to handle this. + +If the user changes the state of a problem that is currently _fixed_ to +something else, that is, they effectively re-open the problem, then the update +comment is not optional. + +## How to see the results + +You can see the collected results of surveys by logging in as an +<a href="{{ "/glossary/#administrator" | relative_url }}" class="glossary__link">administrator</a> +and visiting `admin/questionnaire` in the admin (or click on **Survey** in the +admin menu bar). + +The survey results are shown as total counts and percentages. They provide the +following numbers: + +### First-timers, or repeat users? + +* _Reported before / Not reported before_ + <br> + How many reports were made by users who had reported a problem before, and + how many are first-time reporters? + +We collect that information because it's a key indicator of how much impact a +platform like FixMyStreet is having. Is it encouraging and enabling people who +had not previously engaged with authorities to do so? + +### How did the state change in the surveys? + +* _Old state_ + <br> + The state the problem was in when the user did the survey (remember that + anyone, including the body or the user themselves, may have set the state + already, before the survey was sent). + +* _New state_ + <br> + What state did they change it to? + +* _Total_ + <br> + This is the number of problem reports (also expressed as a percentage) that + users have moved from the old state to the new state in their surveys. + +How complex these results are will depend to some extent on the states that +your site allows. For example, if you've allowed +<a href="{{ "/glossary/#staff-user" | relative_url }}" class="glossary__link">staff users</a> +to have more detailed states to choose from than the public (such as "fixed +— council", or "in progress"), then you'll have more combinations to +deal with. See the [admin manual]({{ "/running/admin_manual/" | relative_url }}) for more +information about the report states that are available to staff users. + +## How to turn questionnaire-sending off + +By default, your site will send out questionnaires. + +If you don't want your site to send out questionnaires, you need to override +the `send_questionnaires` method in the `Cobrand` module for your cobrand. +Surveys will never be sent if that method returns false. This is not controlled +by a configuration setting, so you do need to edit the Perl code — see +more about [changing the Cobrand module](customising/cobrand-module). + |