A well-designed post-event questionnaire is one of the most powerful tools available to event professionals. It uncovers what worked, what didn't, and what your audience truly values. Yet many surveys fail to provide meaningful insights because they are too long or poorly structured.
This guide shows you how to design an event questionnaire that attendees want to complete - and that gives you the reliable, actionable feedback you need to elevate your next event.
1. Start With a Clear Purpose
Before you write your questionnaire, please define exactly what you want to learn. This prevents you from creating an unfocused collection of 'nice-to-know' questions that provide no real value.
Clear objectives may include:
- Measuring satisfaction with content, speakers, venue or logistics
- Evaluating the attendee journey from registration to departure
- Identifying improvement opportunities for next year
- Assessing loyalty or likelihood of return
Your purpose becomes the foundation for every question that follows.
2. Keep It Short, Simple, and Easy to Complete
Attendees are much more likely to complete a questionnaire if it feels effortless.
Best practices include:
- Limit the survey to 5-10 core questions (max. 15 if you segment questions by audience type).
- Use concise, accessible language without jargon.
- Avoid multi-part questions.
- Ensure it performs flawlessly on mobile devices.
Short, crisp surveys produce significantly higher completion rates - and more reliable data.
3. Don't Ask for Information You Already Have
One of the most overlooked principles of good questionnaire design is avoiding redundant questions. If your event platform already knows who the respondent is (because they registered, checked in, or clicked a personal link), do not ask them to re-enter their name, email, company, or ticket type.
Instead, use:
- Unique, personalised survey links
- Automatic respondent recognition in your event software
- Pre-filled fields when necessary
Removing unnecessary data entry reduces friction, shortens the questionnaire, and improves your response rate. It also avoids human error - no typos, no mismatched records - and gives a smoother attendee experience.
4. Use the Right Mix of Question Types
Different formats deliver different types of insight, and combining them provides a more complete picture.
Closed questions
Rating scales and multiple-choice responses are ideal for:
- Benchmarking
- Tracking improvements over time
- Quickly identifying strong and weak elements
Open questions
Use these sparingly to capture nuances or unexpected feedback. One or two well-placed open questions are usually enough.
Ranking/preference questions
Perfect when you need to prioritise content, feature requests, or programme elements.
A balanced questionnaire blends structure (to quantify trends) with a touch of open input (to uncover the 'why').
5. Use Clear, Neutral, and Unbiased Language
The quality of the feedback depends on how you phrase your questions.
Avoid:
- Leading language ('How good was our catering?')
- Questions with assumptions ('Which sessions did you attend?' when some may not have attended any)
- Inconsistent scales
- Double-barrelled questions ('Rate the venue and the catering')
Use straightforward, neutral wording so respondents are not influenced - and your data remains trustworthy.
6. Send the Questionnaire at the Right Time
Timing dramatically impacts response rates.
- Send your questionnaire within 24–48 hours after the event.
- Mention during the event that a feedback form will follow.
- Offer an on-site QR code for quick 'in the moment' impressions if desired.
People are most willing to respond while their experience is still fresh.
7. Tailor Questions to Each Audience Segment
Not all participants experience your event in the same way. Tailoring your questionnaire gives you deeper, more specific insights.
Examples:
- Attendees: content, comfort, registration flow
- Speakers: communication, technical support, stage management
- Exhibitors: traffic, visibility, ROI
- Sponsors: exposure, brand activation results
Sending targeted questions to each group makes your feedback more meaningful and actionable.
8. Sample Questions You Can Use Immediately
Overall impression
- How would you rate your overall experience?
- Did the event meet your expectations?
- How likely are you to attend again or recommend the event?
Event components
- How do you rate the venue?
- How satisfied were you with the speakers or sessions?
- How was your experience with registration, catering, or networking opportunities?
Open feedback
- What did you enjoy most?
- What should we improve for next time?
- Are there topics or speakers you'd like to see in the future?
9. Turn Feedback Into Action
Collecting responses is only half the job. What you do with them matters more.
- Analyse trends across rating questions.
- Look for recurring themes in open responses.
- Compare segments to uncover specific needs.
- Communicate results back to your community: 'Based on your feedback, we are improving…'
This builds trust and increases engagement for future surveys.
Conclusion
A great event questionnaire is:
- Purpose-driven
- Short and intuitive
- Free of redundant questions
- Neutral and clearly phrased
- Designed with smart question types
- Timed thoughtfully
- Tailored to your audience
- Backed by intelligent event software
When done right, a questionnaire becomes more than a form - it's a strategic feedback engine that helps you deliver better, more impactful events year after year.
Source: Photo: iStockPhoto 1065782440
