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Our goal is to create the best surveys and forms possible for the State of Iowa. As we build them, we’re keeping important things in mind like security, accessibility, and making sure everything matches the State of Iowa’s brand.
While we use the term 'survey' interchangeably throughout this guide and training materials, it’s important to recognize that surveys and forms serve different purposes.
Forms are designed to collect specific information for a transaction, registration, or request. They are typically short, structured, and focused on gathering necessary details (e.g., name, contact info, service needs).
Surveys are used to gather feedback, opinions, or experiences from respondents. They often include rating scales or open-ended questions. They are designed to analyze trends or attitudes across a group.
This guide is designed to help you successfully navigate and pass the survey review process. As we move toward full launch and continue to learn, the guide may evolve. While the list of expectations may seem long at first, most of these requests are minor, especially once you’re comfortable using Qualtrics.
With this guide you’ll be ready to build surveys and forms that meet our standards and serve all Iowans.
Use a font size of at least 12pt and avoid using italics for text.
Alt Text
Every image must include alt text that describes what the image shows.
To learn how to add alt text in the survey builder or when using a library image, visit this Qualtrics Support resource.
Color Contrast and Emphasized Text
Avoid using bold, underlined, italic, or colored text alone to show importance.
Underlined and bold text often look like hyperlinks, especially with the CSS style applied to our themes.
Italics and color can be hard to read or may not be accessible to everyone.
Use clear headings, spacing, or other visual cues instead. Combine visual styling with clear language like adding labels such as 'Note:' or 'Important:' to make sure the message is understood by everyone, including users with visual impairments.
Spelling
Use your web browser’s built-in spell check to catch spelling errors. Most modern browsers highlight misspelled words automatically, including in the survey builder. Make sure spell check is turned on in your browser settings.
ExpertReview Compliance Score
Review your ExpertReview results to ensure your Compliance Assistant issue type status shows “Pass.”
To learn how to find ExpertReview and check your compliance status, visit this Qualtrics Support resource.
Device Review
Preview your survey on a mobile device to make sure it displays correctly.
When creating surveys, always use the 'Default' font style to keep everything consistent and accessible.
When customizing theEnd of Survey message, set the font to 14pt and select the 'Default' font style to match the rest of your survey’s look and feel. This helps maintain a clean, professional appearance that aligns with our branding and accessibility standards.
Note: In the Survey Builder, you do not need to manually change the font when adding question text. The system will automatically apply the correct style.
Hyperlinks URLs and Emails within Surveys
To avoid issues in your survey, always set hyperlinks to open in a new window. This helps ensure a smooth experience for constituents and prevents them from accidentally leaving the survey before submitting their responses.
When displaying an email address in a survey, make it easy for participants to take action. Add a clickable link to the email address so they can start an email directly if they choose to reach out.
The survey title should be visible on every page and use the correct header tag. This helps participants stay oriented and confident as they move through the survey. It also supports accessibility by making the structure easier to understand for people using screen readers or other assistive tools.
To display a header on every page of your survey, go to the 'General' section under the Look & Feel menu in the Qualtrics Survey Builder.
Using proper paragraph styling is essential for meeting accessibility standards. However, when building surveys, it’s equally important to always use the 'Default' font style. Do not change the font.
The design and CSS styling are already embedded within the survey themes to align with our Iowa branding standards. Applying custom styles can interfere with this consistency.
You can view how the formatting appears by using the Preview option for your question or survey. This helps ensure everything displays as expected before publishing.
If your survey collects sensitive data, a warning will appear in ExpertReview. This warning indicates that your data collection may be impacted if you do not notify us through the Listen, Understand, and Act intake process.
While collecting sensitive data may be necessary for your survey’s purpose, it is critical that you inform us via the intake form. This allows us to apply an exemption if needed, ensuring your survey meets compliance and governance standards.
Be sure to review your ExpertReview results and confirm the Survey Error issue type status shows 'Pass.'
Below is an example of the error message you’ll see in ExpertReview. This warning will also appear directly in the Survey Builder.
