10 Most common cistakes made by 1KA users

1KA enables a wide range of functionalities, yet in practice users often encounter issues when using specific features or designing questionnaires. These mistakes can significantly affect the validity, reliability, and later interpretation of the collected data. Some mistakes are technical, others methodological, while some are simply the result of creating questionnaires too quickly. The outcome, however, is often the same: data that is less reliable than it could be, or surveys that respondents fail to complete.

Below are the most common mistakes made by 1KA users, categorized by level of user experience, together with recommendations for how to avoid or resolve them.

Most common mistakes made by basic users

Sharing the wrong survey link

One of the most common mistakes is sharing the wrong survey link — specifically, sending respondents a test link or survey preview link instead of the actual survey URL. Test entries and preview modes are intended solely for checking the survey’s functionality, question logic, and visual appearance, not for collecting real data.

When using a preview link, responses are not stored in the database at all, since the purpose of the preview is purely visual. Test entries, on the other hand, are recorded, but they are explicitly marked as test data and are therefore excluded by default from final data exports and further analyses.

The actual survey URL intended for respondents can be found in the toolbar next to the survey activation “ON/OFF” button, as well as under the “Publish – Links” tab.

Survey activation and deactivation (default 90-day expiration and survey duration management)

In 1KA, every survey is by default activated for 90 days. After this period, the survey is automatically deactivated unless its duration is manually extended.

Problems commonly arise during longer data collection periods when users forget to adjust the default survey duration. As a result, the survey may suddenly become inaccessible to respondents after 90 days, even though the research project is still ongoing or intended to remain open.

The survey duration can be modified under “Edit – Settings – Activity/Quotas.”

Ignoring mobile device optimization

A large proportion of respondents complete surveys on mobile devices, yet users often overlook this aspect when designing questionnaires. As a result, questions may become too long, difficult to navigate, or technically unsuitable for smaller screens.

Issues frequently occur with complex question types, such as long or combined tables and extensive answer lists, where respondents must excessively scroll on mobile devices.

Modifying the survey during data collection

A survey in 1KA can still be edited after activation and while responses are already being collected. However, such modifications require special caution. Minor changes, such as correcting grammar mistakes or adjusting question and answer wording, do not affect already collected data, which remains unchanged.

Problems arise when structural changes are made to the questionnaire, such as deleting questions (variables) or answer options, because all previously collected data associated with those elements is deleted as well. Additionally, changes made during active data collection can affect data comparability, since different respondents may no longer answer the exact same questionnaire.

It is therefore recommended that major modifications be planned carefully and, whenever possible, implemented while the survey is temporarily deactivated. Once reactivated, data collection continues normally, while both the survey link and previously collected data remain preserved.

Incorrect selection of question type

One of the most common mistakes among basic users is selecting the wrong question type, especially when distinguishing between single-choice and multiple-choice questions. Users often choose a question type that does not match the intended logic of the question. The most common issue occurs when a multiple-choice question is used even though respondents should only be allowed to select one answer. This unintentionally enables respondents to select multiple options, despite the question requiring a single response.

As a general rule, single-choice questions are displayed using radio buttons (circles), while multiple-choice questions are displayed using checkboxes (squares).

The example below illustrates a correctly configured single-choice question, where respondents answer either “Yes” or “No.” Since only one response is possible, the answers are displayed using radio buttons.

In the incorrect example, the question type “multiple-choice” (checkboxes) is selected, allowing respondents to choose multiple answers simultaneously. This creates an illogical situation in which a respondent could indicate both that they attended the workshop and that they did not attend it.

Most common mistakes made by advanced users

Failure to use or incorrect use of conditions

One of the more common mistakes in questionnaire design is failing to use, or incorrectly using, conditional logic (IF conditions), which allows questions to be displayed based on respondents’ previous answers. Conditions are intended to ensure that respondents only see questions relevant to them, yet users often either fail to apply them or configure them incorrectly.

In practice, this results in respondents receiving questions that are irrelevant or unrelated to their earlier responses. Conversely, incorrectly configured conditions may prevent key questions from being displayed to certain respondents, leading to missing data and incomplete analyses.

For example, respondents were asked whether they attended the “Effective Online Surveying with 1KA” workshop. If a respondent did not attend the workshop, it would not make sense for them to answer a follow-up question regarding workshop satisfaction. Therefore, a condition should be applied so that the satisfaction question is displayed only to respondents who attended the workshop.

Incorrect use of cookies, individual access codes, and IP restrictions

Errors frequently occur when configuring survey access settings involving cookies, individual access codes, and IP address restrictions.

Cookies can be used to limit multiple submissions from the same device or browser, IP restrictions prevent multiple entries from the same IP address, while individual access codes ensure one-time participation for each respondent.

Problems most commonly occur when the selected settings are not appropriate for the research context or when multiple mechanisms are combined without fully understanding their effects. For example, IP restrictions may unintentionally block access for all respondents within organizations or educational institutions sharing the same network and IP address. Similarly, misunderstanding how cookies work may lead users to incorrectly assume that cookies can fully prevent multiple submissions, even though respondents can bypass such limitations by using another browser or device.

It is therefore important that users fully understand what each functionality provides and what its limitations are before selecting these settings. The appropriate choice primarily depends on the type of research, the target audience, and the expected survey completion environment.

Incorrect use of missing values

When designing questionnaires in 1KA, users often manually add answers such as “I don’t know,” “Refused,” or “Not applicable” as regular answer options instead of using system-defined missing values. As a result, these responses are no longer recognized as missing data.

In 1KA, missing values are standardized and marked using negative codes (e.g., -99, -98, -97, -96), enabling their automatic recognition in analyses. Such responses are excluded from statistical calculations by default. Problems arise when missing values are added manually as ordinary answers, because the system then treats them as valid responses and includes them in analyses, which can lead to incorrect statistical results.

Improper editing of answer values

When editing individual questions, users can modify the numerical values assigned to answer options. Within a single question, answer values must remain unique and cannot be duplicated (except when the Quiz module is enabled). Only whole numbers may be used.

Problems occur when answer values are deleted or duplicated, as this disrupts the correct display of data and analyses. Therefore, editing answer values requires caution, since these values directly affect the integrity of collected data.

Not using blocks in questionnaires

Users often create longer questionnaires (30 questions or more) without using blocks, which are intended to provide a more structured and organized questionnaire layout. Without blocks, all questions are displayed together in one long structure.

As a result, the questionnaire becomes less transparent and more difficult to manage throughout the survey process.

In addition to improved organization, blocks also enable advanced functionalities such as question randomization, tab-based question display, and other advanced display and survey flow settings.