Are you a business owner or developer contemplating designing a mobile survey app? Decades ago, conducting a survey was difficult, time-consuming, and only major companies could afford this valuable tool. Today, using less labour and material costs, entrepreneurs and developers know how to develop and conduct surveys faster. Granted that you are up for the challenge, learning to develop mobile survey apps with customizable architecture and features is an excellent idea.
Mobile Survey App Design
Mobile app development for survey creation varies significantly from creating a web-based survey. If you want to learn how to create a survey mobile app, review the tips and approaches below.
1. Identify your survey audience, and be aware of their requirements.
2. Design short questions, and do not use unnecessary words or complex questions.
3. Make your design concise and compact. Avoid extensive drop-down panels, huge text boxes, and too many choices.
4. Create one survey question per screen. Make the design intuitive, and try not to use a scrolling screen, for they do not function the same on every device.
5. Compartmentalize the survey into small sections.
6. Avoid too many images and videos.
7. Test the mobile survey on popular platforms.
8. In order to attract more users and increase response rates, design the survey application to send notifications to respondents.
Multiple Approaches to Mobile Survey App Success
There are many approaches to developing a mobile survey app. The choice depends on the survey launch date and the skill level of the team. Less application development deploys mobile surveys faster than excessive in-house coding and customization.
There are four approaches known to produce mobile survey app success: design a configurable mobile survey app that implements your survey requirements; build a survey application using software development kits (SDKs); use Mobile Backend as a Service (MBaaS) and API, or complete all tasks yourself.
The Configurable Mobile Survey App
Cloud-based surveys are the simplest approach to creating an effective professional survey app, and there are several cloud-based survey platforms available. Opinionmeter is one example where developers can create, launch and manage mobile surveys on any mobile device. This product does not have language constraints and supports all major mobile platforms.
Opinionmeter utilizes TouchPoint Mobile which provides extensive functionalities that work will all mobile devices. Consequently, these features allow for easy setup and deploy. A few useful features include the ability to view offline responses, detect an internet connection, auto synchronize data when connected to the internet, and complete easy set up with a professional or on your own. Their software is fully responsive, offers branding customizability, predesigned templates, and supports over 30 different question styles.
Cloud-based survey platforms provide straight-forward professional solutions for mobile survey applications with a short deadline.
Using The Survey Provider SDKS Approach
The SDK approach is viewed as complex, in comparison to the platform used by Opinionmeter, because it requires a development team to learn the SDK. Nonetheless, it is slightly easier than the Do-It-Yourself (DIY) approach. Several mobile survey providers offer SDKs that are easy to use, edit and deploy. Below is a list of popular, easy-to-use, mobile survey SDKs.
Survey Monkey
Offering one of the best online survey software platforms, SurveyMonkey is a well-known SaaS provider. Some features are free and some require premium sign up. Some advantages include an easy 15 minute or less setup, ability to create customizable surveys from scratch, professional templates, unlimited edits with immediate updates, and a simplistic method for responding to users and collecting in-app feedback.
Pollfish
Offering quick results on an international scale, Pollfish is another excellent solution for mobile survey applications. Company pricing depends on the number of surveys, questions per survey, as well as, the targeted demographic. Advantages of Pollfish include real-time reporting, target market analysis templates, access to their DIY survey tools, and quick survey deployment to a global audience.
Mopinion
An uncomplicated web and mobile-based setup are also available with Mopinion. They offer two weeks of access completely free, with no credit card need and no obligations required. Adopt their platform and get access to advanced targeting feature that engages users, brands the survey with your logo and personalized messages, and utilize the visual feedback form and make it compatible with Android, iOS or React Native.
DoorBell
In addition to the options listed above, Doorbell software provides the effortless setup for mobile survey applications. Promoted advantages of the Doorbell application software include immediate chat and email notification from respondents, screenshot and attachment submission from respondents, embedded analysis with each survey, and ready-made integrations, such as Trello and Asana management tools.
Apptentive
Power-packed and simplistic, Apptentive offers developers SDKs with several advantages. In an effort to increase positive outcomes, Apptentive has a platform that drives results by gathering feedback at scale, as well as, including features requested by popular demand from frequent developer users.
The MBaaS and API Approach
While servicing every need, such as storage and controlled integration, MBaaS is a model that easily connects web and mobile software with a cloud-backend via APIs. This technique is tougher than using SDKs because APIs are manually integrated into the survey app. The developer manages the backend which is a complex task without a team experienced with MBaaS.
If using this approach, developers are responsible for address push notifications, integrations with APIs, database usage, control of user management and authentication, the infrastructure, storage and so forth.
Except you have skilled backend professionals on your team, this process could overwhelm the group and delay the survey launch date.
If you purchase services from an MBaaS provider, the process becomes more manageable. The MBaas provider manages the mobile backend, and you can focus on designing your front-end and survey. Google Firebase, Kinvey, Apple CloudKit, and AWS MBaas are well-known MBaaS providers. In addition, Doorbell is one of several that offers API and SDK.
Build Your Mobile Survey App From Scratch
Building a mobile survey app from scratch is one of the most complex options recommended. If your mobile survey application needs high-end customization, this is the best option.
In addition to designing your survey app, you need to build a highly competent development team. The following team skill sets are important: MBaaS programming and infrastructure management, API development; User Interface and User Experience design, project management, testing, and quality assurance.
Assuming that your goal is to launch the mobile survey app promptly, the first method is the best option. On the other hand, surveys requiring more customization are more successful with options three through four. Unlike the other three approaches, the cost of designing the app yourself will depend on your location and labour market conditions.