We live in a time where data has become an asset; it’s equal to gold. Data collected both virtual or offline, stored in hard discs and iCloud, or in huge office files, have become important to organizations and authorities. The collection of data is very much important to the functioning of organizations, corporates, non-profits, and governmental authorities too. It helps them understand their audience, their customer base, their demands and needs, and level of satisfaction that they enjoy, and how you can make your product better.

It is impossible to name a business working for a larger good, profit, or smooth governance that cannot better their out with data collection. The mode and quality of data define how they can utilize data as an asset and benefit from its analysis. Out of all the ways of collecting data, offline or online, two methods are extremely popular, which are questionnaire and schedule. Often these two might appear similar, but there is an ample amount of difference lies between them, which determines how the data needs to be analyzed or evaluated. It becomes extremely important, therefore, to know the meaning of the two terms and the distinction between them.

What is a Questionnaire?

A questionnaire is a research or data collection instrument used to collect primary first-hand data. The data collected from the respondents are then used to solve many problems or understand the challenges better. Questionnaires are actively used by corporate to understand the needs and behavior of their customer base.

They are an ideal tool to understand the challenges or any specific issue that you face. It can help in collecting qualitative and quantitative data both and, therefore, a versatile option. Questionnaires are further divided into many categories and can be picked up according to the user’s need. Some of the types of questionnaires are exploratory and formal standardized questionnaires dealing with qualitative and quantitative data. They can be open-ended or multiple choice depending upon the need.

What is a Schedule?

The schedule is another research or data collection instrument which is filled alongside an interview. It comprises questions, statements and tables, and blank spaces which are to be filled by respondents. It is one of the most effective methods to collect data with utmost accuracy and without bias.

Difference between Questionnaire and Schedule

That’s all you need to know about questionnaires and schedules. It is imperative to keep your needs in mind to decide what data collection method to opt for. I hope you found this article helpful!