Why most surveys get shallow answers — and how to fix it
Most surveys fail not because of the questions — but because of the way respondents experience them.
Teams are often frustrated by thin, unhelpful open-ended answers:
“It’s nice.”
“Looks good.”
“I might buy it.”
“Nothing really.”
It’s easy to assume that people “won’t write” or “aren’t reflective.”
But that’s not the real problem.
Most surveys are built in a way that discourages people from thinking, reflecting, or writing clearly.
The result is superficial feedback that isn’t strong enough to steer decisions — so teams lean on quant scores instead.
But with the right structure, surveys can deliver thoughtful, honest, and genuinely qualitative insight at scale.
Here’s why shallow answers happen — and how to fix them.
Key takeaways
Shallow answers are usually a design problem, not a participant problem.
People rush when surveys create pressure, friction, or cognitive overload.
The quality of answers depends heavily on pacing, sequencing and question design.
When respondents feel guided — not hurried — they naturally write more reflective answers.
Simple changes can transform open ends into genuinely useful insight.
1. Most surveys are built for speed, not thinking
Traditional survey design rewards:
fast clicking
minimal friction
short response times
high completion rates
This creates an unintended message:
“Please get through this as quickly as possible.”
Respondents oblige.
They skim.
They write the minimum.
They move on.
If you want deep insight, you must consciously design against this behaviour.
Good surveys slow people down just enough to make them think — without frustrating them.
2. People don’t write well when they’re overloaded
Many surveys ask respondents to:
evaluate multiple concepts at once
score long lists of attributes
compare too many options
react to ideas they barely understand
answer questions that stack in complexity
By the time you reach the open ends, cognitive fatigue has already set in.
Overloaded people don’t reflect; they retreat into shortcuts.
That’s where you get:
“I don’t know.”
“Just okay.”
“Not sure.”
The solution is to simplify the path so people have mental space to think and write.
3. Open-ended questions are often too vague
Typical open-ends ask things like:
“Why do you say that?”
“Please explain.”
“Any other comments?”
These questions assume respondents know what to write — but most don’t.
The result? Shallow, generic answers.
Better open-ends provide structure, momentum, and clarity.
They break reflection into small, manageable steps.
When people know how to answer, they write far better answers.
4. Rushed respondents give shallow data
Speeding is the enemy of insight.
If a survey feels like a race, respondents:
type quickly
give surface-level reactions
don’t revisit their thoughts
avoid nuance because it takes time
Your method works so well because it removes time pressure:
questions are paced
tasks encourage reflection
respondents feel “invited” to think
When people feel unrushed, the quality of their writing increases dramatically.
5. People give better answers when they feel understood
Respondents write more thoughtfully when the survey:
feels human
uses natural language
acknowledges their effort
guides them gently
avoids robotic question phrasing
A well-designed survey creates a psychological shift:
From: “I’m filling out a form.”
To: “I’m explaining something to someone who cares.”
This alone can double the depth of responses.
6. How to fix shallow answers — practical principles
Keep it simple
Fewer questions. Fewer comparisons. Fewer distractions.
Guide people step by step
Break reflection into small, meaningful prompts.
Use warm-up questions
People write better after they’ve eased into thinking.
Slow the pace
Not with timers — but with questions that naturally encourage reflection.
Focus the respondent
Ask one thing at a time; don’t blend multiple tasks into one question.
Use natural language
Write questions the way a thoughtful human would ask them.
Prioritise clarity over quantity
It’s better to get three clear answers than ten shallow ones.
7. The payoff: deeper insight at scale
When surveys are designed to support reflection, respondents produce:
richer, more honest answers
clearer explanations of motivation
more emotional insight
sharper identification of tensions
more decisive preference data
This is qualitative thinking, delivered at quantitative scale — without the complexity of groups.
Want help getting deeper answers from surveys?
We specialise in designing guided surveys that unlock thoughtful, high-quality open-ended insight — even from busy consumers.