Microsoft Forms is a versatile tool that enables you to create surveys, quizzes, and polls with ease. One of its standout features is the ability to conduct anonymous surveys, which can be particularly useful when gathering sensitive information or feedback. In this guide, we'll walk you through the process of creating and distributing an anonymous survey using Microsoft Forms.
Before we dive in, it's important to understand that while Microsoft Forms offers anonymity, it's not absolute. Respondents' IP addresses are logged, and if you have access to their email addresses, you can potentially trace responses back to them. However, for most use cases, the anonymity provided by Microsoft Forms is sufficient.
Creating an Anonymous Survey
To create an anonymous survey, you first need to launch Microsoft Forms and click on 'New Form'. Give your survey a title and description, then start adding questions.
For your survey to be anonymous, you must not ask for any personally identifiable information (PII). This includes names, email addresses, or any other details that could directly or indirectly identify respondents.
Setting Up Questions
Microsoft Forms offers various question types, including multiple-choice, rating scale, and open-ended. Choose the type that best suits your needs. Remember, the goal is to gather useful data without compromising respondents' anonymity.
For example, instead of asking "What do you think of John's performance?", you might ask "How would you rate the performance of your direct supervisor?" This way, you're gathering valuable feedback without singling out any individual.
Customizing the Response Settings
By default, Microsoft Forms requires respondents to sign in with a Microsoft account to submit their responses. However, you can change this setting to allow respondents to submit responses anonymously.
To do this, click on the '...' icon next to the 'Submit' button, then select 'More options'. Under 'Who can respond?', choose 'Anyone with the link'. This will generate a shareable link that respondents can use to access and submit responses to your survey.
Distributing Your Anonymous Survey
Once your survey is set up, it's time to distribute it. Microsoft Forms provides several options for sharing your survey.
You can share the survey link directly via email, social media, or any other platform where you can paste a URL. You can also embed the survey into a website or blog post using an iframe. If you're using Microsoft 365, you can also send the survey as an attachment in an email.
Tracking Responses
While your survey is anonymous, you can still track responses and analyze the data. In the 'Responses' tab, you'll see a summary of the responses, including the number of responses, average ratings, and other statistics.
You can also export the responses to Excel for further analysis. However, remember that the exported data will not include any personally identifiable information, as the survey was set up to be anonymous.
Following Up on Anonymous Surveys
Even though your survey is anonymous, you can still follow up on the feedback you receive. For example, if you've received several responses indicating a need for improvement in a particular area, you can use this information to inform your decision-making.
You can also use the 'Summary' view in Microsoft Forms to create a report that you can share with stakeholders. This can help you demonstrate the value of the feedback you've received and the steps you're taking to address it.
In conclusion, Microsoft Forms is a powerful tool for creating and distributing anonymous surveys. By understanding how to set up and distribute anonymous surveys, you can gather valuable feedback without compromising respondents' privacy. So, go ahead, create your anonymous survey, and start gathering insights today!