Exploring open ended questions to uncover deeper insights in analytics

I’ve been digging into our app analytics lately. The usual metrics are fine, but I feel like we’re missing something.

Wondering about using more open-ended questions in our surveys or user interviews. Has anyone had success with this approach?

What kind of insights did you uncover that you wouldn’t have found otherwise?

Just ask why they use the app. You’ll learn tons about what really matters.

Open-ended questions have been game-changers for us. Last year, we added a simple “What’s one thing you wish our app could do?” at the end of our NPS survey.

Uncovered a bunch of feature ideas we’d never considered. One suggestion led to a whole new workout type that’s now driving serious engagement.

The catch? It’s a ton of work to process all those responses. We use a mix of AI tools and human review to categorize and prioritize.

Also, timing matters. We get the best insights right after key moments - like finishing a workout or hitting a milestone. Users are more invested then and give richer feedback.

Just make sure you have a plan to act on what you learn. Nothing kills survey response rates faster than asking for input and then ignoring it.

Open-ended questions are gold mines for insights, but you need to be smart about it.

We’ve had major wins by asking “What’s your biggest frustration with our app?” after users complete key actions.

This revealed UX issues we were blind to and led to a 20% boost in retention after fixes.

Key is to target questions strategically. Don’t overwhelm users. Ask at moments when they’re most engaged.

For analysis, we use a mix of AI tools and manual review. It’s work, but the payoff in actionable insights is huge.

Just be ready to act on what you learn. Users will stop sharing if they don’t see changes.

Open-ended questions can be good. But they take more time to analyze. Maybe try a mix of both types in your surveys.

Open questions can reveal unexpected issues and ideas. I’ve found asking ‘What’s your main goal using our app?’ super helpful.

It showed us features users really wanted, not just what we thought they needed. Made our roadmap way more focused on actual user needs.

Just keep the questions short and relevant. Too many can overwhelm people.