Adding a consent or agreement question

The collection of personal data may require the consent or agreement of the user taking the survey. While it may seem that if a survey respondent enters data they would be agreeing to the use of the data, however, there are some situations where you are required to explain what data you are going to collect, and how it will be used.

A quick way to build consent into your survey is with a Yes/No question at the start with some very simple branching.

For surveys requiring personal data

Some surveys require personal data in order for them to be useful. In this case, you will want to end the survey if the user does not consent to the collection of data.

An example of this would be a dentist office that uses a survey for their waiting list. They would need a name and email or phone number in order for the survey result to be useful.

Follow these steps to create a simple consent question:

1. Using the Builder, drag a Yes/No question to the very beginning of your survey. Ensure that you check Required so that the respondent must answer this question to proceed.
2. In the Question field, describe to the end-user in simple terms what personal data you intend to collect, and how you intend to use it., and how you intend to use it. Be sure you ask if they give you their permission to collect the personal data as you have described.
3. Save the question.
4. Drag a Page Break item from the question types and place it just below the consent question. Your consent question should be on page 1 as the only question.
5. From the Builder menu, click on Branching.
6. In the branching editor, click + Jump Rule just under your consent question.
7. Choose your consent question from the drop-down menu, then select is and No.
8. Under Target choose the end of the survey. This will end the survey for users who do not consent to the collection of data.
9. Click Save Rule.

Now you can continue with building your survey, knowing that you’ve satisfied your consent requirements.

For surveys with optional personal data

Some surveys are useful without personal data. In this case, you would want to skip any personal data if the user does not consent.

An example of this would be a company using a survey to gather customer satisfaction with the option of being included in a monthly draw.  The company will get value out of the satisfaction questions even if the user prefers not to share their personal data and opts-out of the monthly draw.

The best way to achieve this is to ask all of your personal data questions in a group.  You can then use simple branching logic to optionally skip the personal data.  Ensure that your personal data questions are not marked as required, otherwise, the branching will not work.

Follow these steps to use the answer to a consent question to skip personal data:

1. Using the Builder, drag a Yes/No question to the very beginning of your survey. Ensure that you check Required so that the respondent must answer this question to proceed.
2. In the Question field, describe to the end-user in simple terms what personal data you intend to collect, and how you intend to use it. Be sure you ask if they give you their permission to collect the personal data as you have described.
3. Save the question.
4. Drag a Page Break item from the question types and place it just below the consent question. Your consent question should be on page 1 as the only question.
5. Continue to add your questions to the survey, making sure to have the personal data questions together and not mixed in with non-personal data questions.
6. From the Builder menu, click on Branching.
7. In the branching editor, click + Jump Rule on the question just before your personal data questions.
8. Choose your consent question from the drop-down menu, then select is and No.
9. Under Target choose the page where your non-personal data questions begin (or to the end of the survey if your personal data questions are at the end).

Things to consider

If you are unsure of what your consent should look like, try to keep it clear and use simple terms.  Be sure to let the respondent know how you intend to use the data.

For example, if your survey is meant to gather customer satisfaction data with a respondent being selected at random for a prize. Page 1 has the consent question; Page 2 has contact information questions; Page 3 onwards are non-personal questions.