Frequently Asked Questions

Index Scorecard

North American Industry Classification System

Survey Effectiveness Index Construct Article

5. What will the PDi Survey Effectiveness Index© give us?

The PDi Survey Effectiveness Index© will provide you with your individual results as they compare to a national benchmark. Individual companies are now able to track their own trends (internal benchmarking) and compare to both industry specific and overall national trends (external benchmarking). This ability to measure & track survey effectiveness ultimately affects the quality of measurement systems and, therefore, supports better decision making and improves the return on the survey investments through ongoing survey process improvements. . The PDi Survey Effectiveness Index© will help answer the essential questions that all organizations should be asking:
• Are our survey efforts truly effective?
• Are our survey results giving us the essential information to make better business decisions?
• Do our surveys measure the key areas of our company’s goals & objectives?
• Are our survey efforts improving over time?
• How does our survey effectiveness compare with other organizations?
• What do we specifically need to improve with our survey processes?
Using the PDi Survey Effectiveness Index© to evaluate survey instruments and processes can help your company answer these and other survey related questions.

6. Who benefits from the PDi Survey Effectiveness Index©?

The PDi Survey Effectiveness Index© benefits organizations, employees and ultimately customers, by providing a continuous evaluation of survey effectiveness. It quantifies the data/information accuracy and how such data/information serves to support better decision making and the impact of such on employees and customers alike. Companies use the data/information, comparisons and improvement recommendations from the PDi Survey Effectiveness Index© to assess ongoing effectiveness by identifying current measurement strengths and limitations, thus, pinpointing areas for improvement.

7. How is the PDi Survey Effectiveness Index© being developed?

The PDi Survey Effectiveness Index© is being developed through extensive data gathering efforts and comprehensive statistical analysis of:
• National Survey Effectiveness Ratings
• Economic Sector Ratings
• Industry Ratings
• Individual Companies
Organizations from various sectors and industries are participating in the index and are the cornerstones for growing the data base of the index.
The theoretical model used to develop the PDi Survey Index© links the index ratings to the essential factors necessary to conduct high quality surveys and improve positive bottom line results through obtaining input and acting on survey feedback.

8. How is the PDi Survey Effectiveness Index© data/information being collected?

The PDi Survey Effectiveness Index© is a web based survey that is being administered to valid sampling of employees in a diversity of companies that will comprise the index. The results are entered into the PDi index data base for ongoing analysis and reporting.

9. What do the actual index ratings mean?

The PDi Survey Effectiveness Index© includes thirty-five questions that are rated on a five point agreement scale ranging from (1) strongly disagree to (5) strongly agree. Please see the PDi Survey Effectiveness Index Scorecard© located on the Index information web page. The scorecard will also be available after you submit your completed survey and view your results. In brief, all of your individual scores are compared to the growing Index data base and are colored coded to quickly show how your individual results compare to the national norms.

10. When are the PDi Survey Index© ratings released?

The first pre-testing ratings were released in fall 2003. The initial National index findings will be released in spring 2005. Ongoing Index ratings will be released throughout the year as requested.

11. How do I get the ratings?

The web site www.pdisurvey.com provides the ongoing results for your organization and for the overall national ratings at no cost. More comprehensive reports are available by contacting PDi. Only corporate partners will receive a confidential detailed report for their company and industry.

12. How often should my company measure our survey effectiveness?

We recommend an annual evaluation for providing a timely assessment and cost effective audit for each survey a company conducts.

13. Have other indexes and benchmarking efforts been proven to improve the organizational bottom line?

Yes, the studies are in. Firms who use statistical process controls such as indexes and benchmarking consistently outperform firms who do not, particularly over the long term. PDi has a number of research and real world examples that can be discussed with you.

14. If I use the PDi Survey Effectiveness Index© results, does that mean I will see positive benefits from our survey efforts?

Only if you link PDi Survey Effectiveness Index© results with effective change initiatives and action plans. The results need to be included and changes implemented as part of a continuous improvement program.

15. What is the difference between trending and benchmarking? Which is most appropriate for me?

Trending (Internal) – You know where you stand in the marketplace and just want to track internal organizational issues year to year. Most appropriate for firms with unique strategies, structures and operating systems – it is difficult to identify similar firms.
Benchmarking (External) – You want to compare your organization to similar firms. This reference point allows you to celebrate successes, to create a perceived need for change around weaknesses, and identify trends. Typically, this external comparative benchmark provides critical information for continuous improvement efforts, and is used to increase effectiveness.

16. What are the characteristics of a quality Index?

The obvious answer – lots of respondents-in lots of firms-in lots of industries.
Equally important –
? Respondents should be working professionals.
? Respondents should represent all levels of the managerial hierarchy.
? Respondents should represent a mix of genders, races, etc.
? The firms should be an equal mix of small, medium and large size companies.
? The firms should be spread out across the US, and not concentrated in one area
? The index survey should be analyzed for reliability and validity (face, content and construct validity, including convergent and discriminant validity).
? In addition to assessing reliability and validity as outlined above, surveys used for compensation should be analyzed for predictive/criterion validity as well.

17. Other questions?

Contact PDi at (956) 772-1212 or email: pdisurvey@juno.com