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AI can create professional questionnaires in minutes

Questionnaire

By Sunil Saxena

Reporters rarely use a questionnaire. It is more of an academic tool.

The reason for this is simple. Questionnaires use multiple choice or Yes/No questions to obtain information. The information is therefore limited, and lacks detailed nuances. Yes, there are some questions for which more detailed information is sought. But these are few.

The other limitation of a questionnaire is that the reporter or the blogger does not get to meet the respondent. He is therefore unable to form any opinion about the respondent or judge the veracity of the information provided by him.

Reporting requires considerable skills, one of which is the ability to pose supplementary questions to get to the truth. These supplementary queries not only help reporters / bloggers establish whether a respondent is lying but sometimes also produce answers which can change the question trail and the focus of the story.

This is why reporters / bloggers prefer to meet respondents or subjects in person and seek first-hand information.

Another reason questionnaires are not the preferred mode of obtaining information is because several respondents are cagey about answering questions in writing. They are especially reluctant to give their name or other identifying information.

Things changed with the advent of web-based Google and other survey forms. Reporters / bloggers can today obtain information from many actors who were part of an event using a Google form. They can do it from the comfort of their office, and in quick time.

# My Experiments with AI

The goal of this experiment was not to examine or assess the utility of information obtained through a questionnaire. Instead, the goal was to explore the ability of AI to generate a questionnaire that reporters, bloggers and even researchers could use.

It was also a continuation of my earlier experiment where I had asked ChatGPT 4.0 to generate a set of questions that can be posed to street vendors and small traders for a feature story on their lives / business after the Maha Kumbh had ended. The questions suggested by AI were published on Medium.com and can be browsed here.

I now resubmitted these questions to ChatGPT 4.o and asked it to generate a questionnaire.

Prompt: Please structure the questions that you had suggested into a questionnaire format. The questionnaire should be simple, clear, and easy to comprehend. It should provide both quantitative and qualitative insights.

# Response of ChatGPT 4.o

Post-Kumbh Mela Vendor & Small Trader Questionnaire
(For Journalistic Field Use — Structured for Ease of Response)

Section 1: Personal Information

  1. Name:
  2. Age:
  3. Hometown/City:
  4. How long have you been in this business?
  1. Have you participated in previous Kumbh Melas?

Section 2: Business During Kumbh Mela

  1. What did you sell during Kumbh Mela?

2. How much did your sales increase during Kumbh compared to normal days?

3. What was your best-selling item, and why do you think it was so popular?

4. Did you take a loan or invest heavily to stock up for Kumbh?

5. What kind of customers did you attract the most? (Check all that apply)

Section 3: Post-Kumbh Challenges

  1. How have your daily sales changed after Kumbh ended?

2. What happens to your unsold stock?

3. Are you planning to stay in Prayagraj or move elsewhere for work?

4. Have you faced any issues with authorities regarding stall removal or relocation?

5. How are you managing daily expenses now that the crowd is gone?

Section 4: Future Plans & Adaptation

  1. Do you follow a religious tourism circuit, moving to other pilgrimage sites or fairs?

2. Are you considering changing your business model or products after Kumbh?

3. Have you received any government or NGO support for small traders post-Kumbh?

4. If you could request one thing from the authorities to help traders like you, what would it be?
…………………………………………………………………………………………

Section 5: Personal Stories & Reflections

  1. What was the most memorable experience you had during Kumbh?
    …………………………………………………………………………………………

2. Did the earnings from Kumbh help you achieve any personal or family goals? (e.g., education, healthcare, home repairs, etc.)

3. If you had to describe Kumbh Mela in one word, what would it be, and why?

4. What does Kumbh Mela mean to you — not just as a business opportunity but as a cultural or spiritual event?
…………………………………………………………………………………………

Closing Notes:

# My Take: Reporters / Bloggers / Researchers can depend upon ChatGPT 4.o to create a professional questionnaire. Based on their needs, they can modify it.

The process is quick and fast and saves considerable time.

Note: This write up was first published on Medium.com.

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