Step 2. Customize Tool

Image of a stop sign.

Reminder

  • The tools you'll need will depend on the event type.

Deliberative Forum

Town Hall Meeting

**Survey customization is required before distributing the survey tool (or before manually entering in participant responses into the online survey). If you do not customize the tool, then data analysis and reporting will prove to be incredibly difficult for you and the CIVIC Leadership team.

Estimated Time

  • 30 minutes (depends on how quickly you are granted collaborative privileges).

  • Once you get the hang of it, it should take 3-5 minutes max. The evaluation team has discussed adding all Extension Agents as collaborators, so please check your Qualtrics account before asking.

Prep Instructions

  • If using the WORD Version or PDF Version, make sure to type in the Community Issue and Options before printing out copies for your audience. This will prevent having to hand write these into the survey tools.

  • Please do not input duplicate entries.

  • Ask Martha Monroe or Linda Seals for collaborative access to the survey tool. Once given collaborative access, open the survey tool in Qualtrics (https://ufl.qualtrics.com). Look for the surveys under the dropdown on the left side labeled "Shared with me".

  • DO NOT edit any of the questions. You will be altering how the survey tool displays key variables, and instructing the survey tool to record and associate the county name, event date, community issue, and options 1-3 with each participant's response.

  • Have your Community Issue, Option 1, Option 2, and Option 3 ready to copy and paste as needed. You will also need to know the event date and the county the event will take place.

  • If possible (having dual screens, or printing out the steps), we recommend having these instructions side-by-side with the survey tool you are modifying. The images in each step are very helpful. Here are the steps in a Google Document, allowing you to print them or save them to your device.

  • We also created a 4 minute video of the instructions in case it's easier to follow along that way.

HowToFormCreationTotalVideo.mp4

If you ever feel like you've gone down the wrong direction, select "Cancel" in the survey flow, and select "Yes" that you want to exit without saving changes.

Step 1. Go to UFL Qualtrics - https://ufl.ca1.qualtrics.com/Q/MyProjectsSection, and select "Shared with me" in the navigation on the left side of the projects dashboard. Select the CIVIC survey tool you will be modifying.

Note if you are doing a Deliberative Forum, you will be doing this process for the Pre-Forum survey tool and Post-Forum survey tool. If you are doing a Town Hall Meeting, you will only be doing it for the Post Town Hall Meeting survey tool.

Step 2. Select "Survey Flow".

Image showing to select Survey Flow button
Image highlighting to select the Survey Flow button. Selecting this will begin the process of customizing the survey tool for your event.

Step 3. We recommend selecting the "Zoom Out" button twice. This is found at the top right.

Image highlighting to select the zoom out button on the top right of the screen. We recommend selecting this twice so everything fits nicely in your screen.

Step 4. Scroll down to the very bottom of the screen to where it says "Add a New Element Here". Select "Add a New Element Here".

Image highlighting to "Add a New Element Here" text.

Step 5. Select the button labeled "Branch".

Image highlighting to select the branch button within the new element you created in Step 4.

Step 6. Select "Add a Condition".

Image indicating to select the "Add a Condition" text within the Branch element. This is telling the survey to do something based on something else (an "IF, THEN" condition).

Step 7.1 Select the first dropdown and select Embedded Data. See sub-step 1 highlighted in the image.

Image highlights selecting the first drop down and select the embedded data option.

Step 7.2 Type in the phrase "Community Issue". This must be typed in exactly as shown, capitalization matters. See sub-step 2 highlighted in the image.

Image highlights typing in the field provided, "Community Issue".

Step 7.3 Type in a phrase you made up to represent your community issue. The example we used was "ProtectIRL". See sub-step 3 highlighted in the image.

Step 7.4 Select the plus "+" button to add another condition. See sub-step 4 highlighted in the image.

Image highlights typing in the last field provided the short phrase you created to represent the community issue. The example in the image is "ProtectIRL". After this, select the plus "+" icon to add another condition.

Step 8.1 Repeat steps 7.1 - 7.4 to add the event date. Make sure the first drop down says "And", and the second drop down says "Embedded Data". The next step depends on whether you are doing a forum or town hall event. If doing a forum, type in the space "ForumDate" (notice there is no space between Forum and Date, and note capitalization matters). See sub-step 1 in the image. If doing a town hall meeting, type in the space "TownHallDate".

Step 8.2 Type in the date using the 8-digit format (MM/DD/YYYY). The example we used was "07/08/2020". See sub-step 2 in the image.

Step 8.3 Select the plus "+" button to add one more condition.

Image highlights repeating the previous process in steps 7.1 through 7.4 in order to add the event date. The example in the image is "07/08/2020". After this, select the plus "+" icon to add another condition.

Step 9.1 Repeat steps 8.1 - 8.4 to add the County information. For the embedded data field type in "County". See sub-step 1 in the image.

Step 9.2 In the "Is Equal to" field type in the county name, take note if you use capitalized letters. DO NOT USE PUNCTUATION. The example we used was "St Johns". See sub-step 2 in the image.

Step 9.3 Select the "OK" button.

Step 9.4 Take note of the variables you used. In our example we used...

  • Community Issue = ProtectIRL

  • ForumDate = 07/08/2020

  • County = St Johns

Image highlights repeating the previous process in steps 8.1 through 8.4 in order to add the county. The example in the image is "St Johns". After this, select the plus "+" icon to add another condition.

Step 10. Below the blue "Then Branch if:" box select "Add a New Element Here" link. See image for reference.

The image highlights needing to select "Add a New Element Here" link. This will allow us to specify what the community issue is, and if you are doing a community forum what the options are.

Step 11. Select the "Embedded Data" button.


This image highlights needing to select the "Embedded Data" button.

Step 12.1 If the event is a community forum get your Community Issue and the three options ready to copy. If the event is a town hall meeting get the community issue ready to copy. We strongly recommend keeping things short and sweet. For this example we are using the following for a mock community forum...

  • Community Issue: How can we protect the Indian River Lagoon?

  • Option 1: Protect human health

  • Option 2: Protect the ecosystem

  • Option 3: Protect the economy

Step 12.2 Select the drop down (sub-step 1 in the image), hover over or select "Existing Embedded Data" (sub-step 2 in the image), in the popup window select "Community Issue" (sub-step 3 in the image).

The image highlights the first step in assigning data to specific variables within the survey tool. Specifically, this is demonstrating how to assign data to the variable "Community Issue".

Step 12.3 Select "Set a Value Now". Type/ copy and paste your community issue statement in the field provided.

Proceed to step 12.4 if you are doing a community forum.

Proceed to step 13 if you are doing a town hall meeting.

The image highlights the second step to assign data to specific variables within the survey tool. Specifically, this is demonstrating assigning "How can we protect the Indian River Lagoon?" to the "Community Issue" variable.

Note if you accidentally create an unwanted field click inside the field and delete all the text until it highlights red. Then click/ select off of the field and it should erase.

The image highlights how to remove unwanted fields within the "Set Embedded Data:" element.
The image highlights how to remove unwanted fields within the "Set Embedded Data:" element.

Step 12.4 Select "Add a New Field". Select the drop down (sub-step 1 in the image), hover over or select "Existing Embedded Data" (sub-step 2 in the image), in the popup window select "Option 1" (sub-step 3 in the image).

The image highlights adding another assigned data point to a specific variable within the survey tool. Specifically, this is demonstrating assigning data to the "Option 1" variable.
The image highlights adding another assigned data point to a specific variable within the survey tool. Specifically, this is demonstrating assigning data to the "Option 1" variable.

Step 12.5 Repeat step 12.4 for Option 2 and Option 3.

The image highlights all the data assignments to four variables (Community Issue, Option 1, Option 2, and Option 3). Note that in the Town Hall Meeting survey there will only be the Community Issue variable.
The image highlights all the data assignments to four variables (Community Issue, Option 1, Option 2, and Option 3). Note that in the Town Hall Meeting survey there will only be the Community Issue variable.

Step 13. The blue "Then Branch If" and green "Set Embedded Data" boxes need to be moved into place for the survey logic to work properly. For the logic to work properly they need to be moved above the 3 grey "Show Block:" boxes. See image for reference.

To do this select and hold the "Move" link in the blue "Then Branch If:" box

Drag and drop it above the grey "Show Block: Informed Consent" box. You'll see highlighted green spaces of where the survey tool believes you want to drop it. Make sure to drop it when the highlighted green space spans the full width directly above the "Show Block: Informed Consent" box.

Do not fret if you drop it in the wrong location. You can re-select the Move text and try again.

NOTE the green "Set Embedded Data:" box automatically moves because it is a sub-element of the blue "Then Branch If:" box.

This image highlights the Move text that you will need to select in order to move the element into the logic of the survey.
This image highlights where the newly created element needs to be moved within the survey logic for it to work correctly, which is directly above the "Show Block: Informed Consent" grey box.

Step 14. Select the "Save Flow" button. You will be directed back to the survey tool.

The image highlights to select the "Save Flow" button to save all the work you just did. If you are unsure about what you did, feel free to select Cancel and start over.

Step 15. Select the green "Publish" button at the top right. A pop up will display asking to publish. Select the "Publish" button.

The image highlights to select the green "Publish" button located at the top right of the screen.
The image highlights to select the green "Publish" button located at the top right of the screen. You will be asked in a subsequent pop-up window whether you are sure you want to publish. Select "Publish" to indicate you are sure.

Step 16.1 We need to prep the survey URL (web address) with the new variables you just created and noted (Step 9.4). Have those variables handy. The variables we used in this example were...

  • Community Issue = ProtectIRL

  • ForumDate = 07/08/2020

  • County = St Johns

Step 16.2 To create a customized URL you first need the base URL to the survey tool. The base URLs for the three primary survey tools are:

For our example we will demonstrate the customization on the Pre-Forum Survey Tool URL (https://ufl.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_231dS7AIAzqedIF).

Step 17.1 All we want to do is add onto the base URL while specifying the variables we set up. The first step is to tell the URL what the community issue is. To do this you will add the following to the end of the URL "?Q_R_DEL=1&Community%20Issue=". See the example below.

At the end of that type in your community issue variable. In our example it was "ProtectIRL". See the example below.

Now we have told the survey the community issue we are working with. The next steps will add the Date and County.

Step 17.2 The second step is to tell the URL what the Forum Date (or Town Hall Meeting Date) is. To do this you will add the following to the end of the URL created in Step 17.1, "&ForumDate=" if you are doing a community forum, or "&TownHallDate=". See below for example.

At the end of that type in the date variable. In our example it was "07/08/2020". See below for example. Note that you URL's think of the "/" as something else so we have to substitute "%2F" to represent the "/" in the date.

Now we have told the survey the community issue and the date we are working with. The next step is to add the County.

Step 17.3 The third step is to tell the URL what the County is. To do this you will add the following to the end of the URL created in Step 17.2, "&County=". See below for example.

At the end of that type in the county variable. BIG NOTE HERE. If your county has a space in it, like our example (St Johns), since URLs cannot have spaces in them you will substitute wherever there is a space with "%20". See bullet for example.

Now the URL is fully populated with the customized variables.

Step 18. The URL generated in Step 17.1 - 17.3 will be the URL that you will share with participants and or the one you use when inputting participant responses (if they were given paper copies). Copy and paste your customized URL into the web address bar to see if everything worked. You will know it worked, if you see the community issue and options (if doing a community forum) populated on the third part of the survey.

The image highlights the customized URL and Survey Flow logic is correct. This is indicated by the completed text for the Community Issue and the 3 options.
The image highlights the customized URL and Survey Flow logic is correct. This is indicated by the completed text for the Community Issue and the 3 options.