The Art and Science of Community Surveys
8 Days
·Cohort-based Course
Master survey design fundamentals with real-world examples from government-led community engagement projects.
The Art and Science of Community Surveys
8 Days
·Cohort-based Course
Master survey design fundamentals with real-world examples from government-led community engagement projects.
Collaborative Partners
Course overview
Gain skills to gather meaningful and actionable insights from your community
Unlock the power of effective survey design to elevate your community engagement efforts. Unlike typical survey courses that focus on market research or academic studies, this course is tailored specifically for engagement specialists. You’ll master the fundamentals of crafting clear, unbiased, and actionable surveys using real-world examples from government-led projects in planning, parks, transit, and more. Gain the tools to design surveys that drive meaningful data collection and impactful community decisions.
Who is this course for
01
You're a communications or engagement pro who wants to design valid surveys that drive impact.
02
You're a planner, engineer, or other gov staff who needs actionable data from community engagement surveys.
03
You're a consultant aiming to deliver better community engagement surveys and results for government clients.
What you’ll get out of this course
Understand the Value of Strong Survey Design
Learn why surveys are critical tools for gathering actionable data in community engagement and when they're the right approach.
Master the Art of Asking the Right Questions
Distinguish between open-ended and closed-ended questions and identify when to use each to collect clear, useful responses.
Draft Clear, Reliable, and Valid Questions
Develop survey questions that are unbiased, precise, and deliver data you can trust—without overwhelming respondents.
Fix Common Survey Design Mistakes
Spot and correct the most frequent errors in survey writing to ensure clarity, accuracy, and effectiveness.
Design Response Categories That Work
Create response options that capture meaningful insights, including strategic use of 'other' for open-ended answers.
Structure Surveys for Usability and Flow
Learn how to order questions logically, use skip logic and transitions, and ensure a seamless experience for respondents.
Ask Demographic Questions Ethically
Integrate demographic questions that enhance representativeness and respect privacy, ensuring surveys are inclusive and equitable.
This course includes
2 interactive live sessions
Lifetime access to course materials
5 in-depth lessons
Direct access to instructor
Projects to apply learnings
Guided feedback & reflection
Private community of peers
Course certificate upon completion
Maven Satisfaction Guarantee
This course is backed by Maven’s guarantee. You can receive a full refund within 14 days after the course ends, provided you meet the completion criteria in our refund policy.
The Art and Science of Community Surveys
Course syllabus
Week 1
May
2
Live Session 1
Fri 5/25:00 PM—8:00 PM (UTC)
Section 1: Writing Strong Questions
Week 2
May
9
Live Session 2
Fri 5/95:00 PM—8:00 PM (UTC)
Section 2: Response Categories, Question Order, and Formatting
Bonus
Consulting Hour
What people are saying
Meet your instructor
Dr. Kristin N Williams
Ph.D. in Sociology; Professor; Local Gov Engagement Specialist; Survey Geek
Hi there! I'm Dr. Kristin Williams, the Founder and Principal Consultant of NineteenEleven Consulting, where I lead with a commitment to transforming community engagement into a truly inclusive, data-driven practice. With over twenty years of experience as a social scientist, I’ve dedicated my career to empowering both public agencies and communities through approaches that prioritize equity, transparency, and data integrity.
Explore my resume highlights here.
Join an upcoming cohort
The Art and Science of Community Surveys
Focused Fridays
$1,000
Dates
Payment Deadline
Course Schedule
3 hours per week (2 weeks)
Focused Fridays (Fridays Only)
1:00pm-4:00pm EST
This cohort meets for three hours on Friday for two consecutive weeks.
Learning is better with cohorts
Engage in Live, Interactive Learning
This isn't a pre-recorded course—join live sessions where you can ask questions, share insights, and get immediate feedback.
Learn Through Real-World Examples
Dive into survey challenges and solutions from government and community engagement projects, so you can immediately apply what you learn to your own initiatives.
Workshop Your Own Surveys
Bring your ideas and questions to the table! You'll have dedicated time to workshop and refine your surveys with personalized guidance.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Join an upcoming cohort
The Art and Science of Community Surveys
Focused Fridays
$1,000
Dates
Payment Deadline