Writing poll questions and options that work

Ask for a decision, not an opinion

“What do you think about the new office layout?” has no answer. “Which of these three layouts should we try first?” does. If you want free-form feedback, a poll is the wrong tool — keep the options factual and use the description for context.

Keep options parallel

Parallel options are the same kind of thing at the same level of detail. Mixing “Cheap” with “The Italian place on 5th Street” quietly tells voters which answer you prefer.

A useful test: read the options aloud one after another. If one belongs to a different list, rewrite it.

Cover the real answers

The most common complaint about a poll is “my answer was not there”. Before publishing, think of the two answers you would least like to receive. If they are plausible, add them — an honest long tail is more useful than a forced choice.

Respect the size of a chat message

Titles over roughly 120 characters get cut off in previews and embeds. Keep the question under 90 characters if you can, move conditions into the description, and put any rule that changes how people should answer (“pick one”, “choose up to 3”) at the top of the description.

Test with one person

Send the link to one person who was not part of the discussion and ask what they think the poll is asking. If they hesitate, the poll is not ready.