WO2021046638A1

WO2021046638A1 - System and method for creating a questionnaire

Info

Publication number: WO2021046638A1
Application number: PCT/CA2020/051209
Authority: WO
Inventors: Mehdi Talwerdi
Original assignee: 1184206 B.C. Ltd.
Priority date: 2019-09-09
Filing date: 2020-09-08
Publication date: 2021-03-18

Abstract

A system and method for creating a questionnaire is provided. The system for creating a questionnaire includes: (a) a computer-implemented user input module operable to receive as user input a selection of a question having a pre-defined type defining a required form of response; (b) a computer-implemented editing module operable to modify the question; and (c) a computer-implemented testing module operable to test the questionnaire. The computer-implemented method of creating a questionnaire includes: (a) receiving by a computer-implemented user input module as user input a selection of a question having a pre-defined type defining a required form of response; (b) editing the question by a computer-implemented editing module; and (c) testing the questionnaire by a computer-implemented testing module.

Description

SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR CREATING A QUESTIONNAIRE

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of Invention

This invention relates to conducting questionnaires, surveys, opinion polls, and the like, and, in particular, to a system and method for creating a questionnaire.

2. Description of Related Art

Questionnaires are conventionally created by humans who formulate questions for the questionnaire and then manually type the formulated questions into a word processor or other text editor for presentation as a questionnaire.

Some conventional systems have been created for creating web browser- based questionnaires.

However, such conventional systems lack extensive features for advanced questionnaires.

An object of the invention is to address the above shortcoming.

SUMMARY

The above shortcomings may be addressed by providing, in accordance with one aspect of the invention, a system for creating a questionnaire, the system comprising: (a) a computer-implemented user input module operable to receive as user input a selection of a question having a pre-defined type defining a required form of response; (b) a computer-implemented editing module operable to modify the question; and (c) a computer-implemented testing module operable to test the questionnaire.

In accordance with another aspect of the invention, there is provided a computer-implemented method of creating a questionnaire, the method comprising: (a) receiving by a computer-implemented user input module as user input a selection of a question having a pre-defined type defining a required form of response; (b) editing the question by a computer-implemented editing module; and (c) testing the questionnaire by a computer-implemented testing module.

The foregoing summary is illustrative only and is not intended to be in any way limiting. Other aspects and features of the present invention will become apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art upon review of the following description of embodiments of the invention in conjunction with the accompanying figures and claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In drawings which illustrate by way of example only embodiments of the invention:

Figure 1 is a block diagram of a system for creating a questionnaire according to a first embodiment of the invention;

Figure 2 is a screen-shot graphical representation of a webpage produced by the system shown in Figure 1 , showing a user interface;

Figure 3 is a screen-shot graphical representation of a webpage produced by the system shown in Figure 1 , showing an editing dialog box;

Figure 4 is a screen-shot graphical representation of a webpage produced by the system shown in Figure 1 , showing testing by a testing module; and

Figure 5 is a flow diagram of a method of the system shown in Figure 1 , showing method steps. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Referring to Figure 1, a system 10 according to a first and preferred embodiment of the invention is operable to facilitate creating a questionnaire. Once created, the questionnaire can be presented to questionnaire respondents for obtaining their responses.

The system 10 includes any general-purpose computer 12 having a processing circuit, such as a CPU or other processor 14, and a memory circuit 16.

The memory circuit 16 in the first embodiment is operable to store digital representations of questionnaire data or other information, and to store digital representations of program data such as program code for directing operations of the processor 14.

The system 10 in the first embodiment also includes a database 18 forming part of or being in communication with the general-purpose computer 12. In general, the database 18 may be implemented as part of the processing circuit 14, the memory circuit 16, or may be implemented separately from the general- purpose computer 12 as shown in Figure 1. The database 18 is operable to store information, typically in the form of recordable and retrievable data and relationships between stored data for use within or by the system 10.

Referring to Figure 2, the system 10 in some embodiments is operable to implement one or more webpages of a system 10 website having a user interface 20 accessible via the Internet or other global communications network. The system 10 is operable to permit a user to connect to and interact with the system 10 website via a web browser application, for example.

The user interface 20 includes a plurality of user-selectable, pre-defined question types 22, such as “single input”, “checkbox”, “radiogroup”, “dropdown”, etc. In the first embodiment, each question type defines a required form of response. For example, the question type “radiogroup” requires the respondent of the questionnaire to respond to that type of question by selecting a radio button from a group of radio buttons presented in association with the question. By way of further example, the question type “dropdown” requires the respondent to select a response presented in a dropdown menu.

The user interface 20 includes a main area 24 in which a question of a selected question type 22 can be displayed for subsequent editing.

Referring to Figure 3, a question 26 is edited using an editing dialog box

28.

Referring to Figure 4, one or more questions 26 can be tested using a testing module 30.

Thus, there is provided a system for creating a questionnaire, the system comprising: (a) a computer-implemented user input module operable to receive as user input a selection of a question having a pre-defined type defining a required form of response; (b) a computer-implemented editing module operable to modify the question; and (c) a computer-implemented testing module operable to test the questionnaire.

Method of Operation

Referring to Figure 5, the memory circuit in accordance with the first embodiment of the invention contains blocks of code comprising computer executable instructions for directing the processor to perform the steps of a method shown generally at 32.

When electrical power is being supplied to the processor 14 and the memory circuit 16, the processor 14 is directed to begin executing the instructions of block 34. Block 34 then directs the processor 14 to receive as user input a selection of a question 26 having a pre-defined type defining a required form of response. In the first embodiment, the question type 22 (Figure 2) is selected by dragging and dropping it onto the main area 24 of the user interface 20, thereby causing a question 26 of the selected question type 22 to appear in the main area 24. Block 36 then edits the question 26 by using an editing module operable to display the editing dialog box 28 (Figure 3) and to modify the question 26 such as in response to user input via the database 28.

After block 34, and typically also block 36, has been executed for any number of questions 26, block 38 then tests the questionnaire by the testing module 30 (Figure 4).

After block 38 has been executed, the method 32 ends.

Thus, there is provided a computer-implemented method of creating a questionnaire, the method comprising: (a) receiving by a computer-implemented user input module as user input a selection of a question having a pre-defined type defining a required form of response; (b) editing the question by a computer- implemented editing module; and (c) testing the questionnaire by a computer- implemented testing module.

While embodiments of the invention have been described and illustrated, such embodiments should be considered illustrative of the invention only. The invention may include variants not described or illustrated herein in detail. Thus, the embodiments described and illustrated herein should not be considered to limit the invention as construed in accordance with the accompanying claims.

Claims

What is claimed is:

1 . A system for creating a questionnaire, the system comprising:

(a) a computer-implemented user input module operable to receive as user input a selection of a question having a pre-defined type defining a required form of response;

(b) a computer-implemented editing module operable to modify the question; and

(c) a computer-implemented testing module operable to test the questionnaire.

2. A computer-implemented method of creating a questionnaire, the method comprising:

(a) receiving by a computer-implemented user input module as user input a selection of a question having a pre-defined type defining a required form of response;

(b) editing the question by a computer-implemented editing module; and

(c) testing the questionnaire by a computer-implemented testing module.