Have you ever tried to make sense of vague feedback or had to sift through dozens of long responses? If you have, then you probably understand the value of a clear, straightforward answer.
That’s why you need closed-ended questions.
People tend to refer to them as questions where respondents choose from a predetermined list of answers. It doesn't matter if you're collecting customer feedback, conducting market research, or analyzing Net Promoter Score (NPS) responses, closed-ended survey questions are key. They give you data that’s easy to compare, analyze, and act on.
Let’s explore what close-ended questions are, the types and examples you can use, and when to use them in your survey for the best results.
A close-ended question is a type of survey question that gives respondents a set of predefined answer options to choose from. These questions require respondents to select from a list. It could be yes/no, multiple-choice, or rating scale questions.
Compared to open-ended questions, which allow respondents to explain their thoughts in their own words, closed-ended questions are designed to collect quantitative data that’s easy to sort, chart, and compare.
They’re perfect when you’re working with a large sample size and need data that can be easily analyzed.
Here's an example:
Product managers handle a lot of tasks like feature prioritization, roadmap planning, customer feedback, and more. Hence, Close-ended questions offer several benefits when designing surveys:
They’re quick and easy to answer. According to a study by the Pew Research Center, closed-ended questions have an average item nonresponse rate of just 1% to 2%, whereas open-ended questions can experience nonresponse rates as high as 50%, with an average around 18%. This disparity is attributed to the cognitive effort required. Usually, respondents find it easier to select from predefined options than to generate answers themselves.
The structured nature of closed-ended questions simplifies the data analysis process. Since survey responses are limited to specific options, they are ideal for statistical analysis, charts, and reports.
Since all respondents chose from the same answers, it’s easier to compare responses. This standardisation ensures that all participants interpret and respond to questions uniformly, leading to consistent data collection.
If you want to find out what’s working and what isn’t, close-ended questions provide direction. For example, Net Promoter Score (NPS) questions get answered by about 95% of people, making them great for collecting reliable feedback.
Close-ended questions are particularly useful when you need quick & clear answers. Here’s when to use them:
Closed-ended questions help you collect quantitative data, like how many people said “yes” or chose a certain option. This kind of data makes it easier to prioritize product updates or feature changes.
Tools like Net Promoter Score (NPS) or Customer Satisfaction Score (CSAT) use closed-ended questions to check how happy customers are.
If you want to know how user feedback changes after a product update, use closed-ended questions. Since everyone picks from the same options, it’s easy to compare results.
Whether you're exploring a new market or testing a concept, closed-ended questions give you quick insights into what users want.
Understanding the difference between closed-ended questions and open-ended questions is important. Let's break it down in the table below:
.png)
Closed-ended questions are perfect when you want to collect structured data. Open-ended questions allow for deeper conversations and context.
There are many types of close-ended questions, and each question type serves a different purpose. Let’s break down the most popular ones with examples of close-ended questions.
These are questions that ask for a yes/no, true/false, and an agree or disagree response.
Example:
You can use this type of question when you need a simple binary response.
These questions allow respondents to choose one or more answers from a list.
Single Answer Example:
Multiple Answer Example:
Invariably, Multiple choice questions help you understand preferences and behavior.
This type of survey question asks respondents to rate something on a scale. It is a great way to track sentiment over time.
Example:
These questions are a form of rating questions, usually structured around agreement. Let's just say Likert scale questions are useful when measuring attitudes or satisfaction levels.
Example:
This question type asks respondents to rank items by preference. It reveals priorities, which is valuable for product roadmapping.
Example:
Please rank the following features by importance (1 = most important)
These questions allow multiple responses but are formatted like a list. They’re especially helpful in understanding decision-making.
Example:
What reasons made you choose our product?
Tip: To gain deeper insights, consider writing a close-ended question followed by an open-ended question. This allows respondents to elaborate on their choices, providing both quantitative and qualitative data.
Here are some question examples:
Here are a few tips to get the most out of your closed-ended survey:
Write your questions using straightforward language. Ensure that each question in your survey is easily understood, minimizing ambiguity. For instance, instead of asking, To what extent do you find our platform's usability satisfactory?, opt for, How easy is it to use our platform?.
You should ensure the answers to choose from are mutually exclusive and collectively exhaustive. Avoid overlapping choices that can confuse respondents. For example:
Question: How often do you use our product?
This approach ensures that each respondent can select an option that accurately reflects their experience, facilitating straightforward statistical analysis.
Sometimes, it helps to follow a closed-ended question with an open-ended question like:
Other (please specify): ________
This combo brings both quantitative and qualitative insight.
Different types of closed-ended questions serve various purposes. So, you have to match your question type to your goal. For instance:
A good practice is to use close-ended questions first, then follow with an open-ended question to add context. This combo gives both numbers and stories, perfect for product decisions.
Example:
If you’re a product manager working on a survey, it’s smart to focus on closed-ended questions for faster insights and clearer decisions. These questions are a great way to gather feedback that’s easy to sort and analyze.
And if you're looking for a tool to help you create and analyze closed-ended survey questions, check out Productlogz. It makes collecting and understanding feedback simple and effective.
Easily collect & Prioritize feedback from users. Build & Ship features that Users actually want.
