Utilizing the Survey Feature

  • 14 November 2023
  • 3 replies
  • 453 views
A
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My agency currently uses Survey Monkey for our course evaluations. During last week’s CALEA conference, there was mention of creating surveys within PDMS. If your agency creates surveys in PDMS, I am looking for any feedback (pros and cons). Thanks

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D
Userlevel 2
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@ANGELA.J There are a lot of pros and cons to conducting surveys in PowerDMS. Hopefully, the list I came up with helps.

Pros:
    - Built-in tool that you/your employees are familiar with and is easy to use
    - Fully customizable security/access rights to surveys and results
    - Single location for conducting and storing surveys and results
    - You can prevent an individual from responding to a survey multiple times, even if the survey is anonymous
    - Only your current PowerDMS users can take surveys (this is both a pro and a con)

Cons:
    - Lack of basic data analysis tools
    - Does not support conditional survey questions (also known as skip logic, conditional branching, or branch logic)
    - Only your current PowerDMS users can take surveys (this is both a pro and a con)

StephErb
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I really like being able to utilize surveys within PowerDMS. I add it to every course taken, whether in-house training or outside the department training, to try to get feedback. I do wish, as said above, the results could be displayed in a little fancier ways, but it gets the job done for sure. We use it for everything from annual anonymous wellness surveys to as I mentioned course evaluations. I am currently developing it to use it in a not so survey kind of way….as a form to complete to nominate an employee for an award. 

 

 

McHenry PD Illinois * serb@cityofmchenry.org * (815) 363-7842 *
T
Userlevel 1
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We tried it a couple years ago, so there may be some updates I’m not aware of, but the spreadsheet output was not particularly useful in format and @dalbers Con listed above - “Does not support conditional survey questions (also known as skip logic, conditional branching, or branch logic)” - was a big con for us.

We’ve utilized a hybrid system of courses and/or certificates to assign Microsoft Form surveys - it’s not ideal, but we’ve had better luck with the functionality of Microsoft Forms.

Lt Tim Gould / Vermont State Police / timothy.gould@vermont.gov

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