Kyselymalli

Kyselymalli, or survey model in Finnish, is a formal representation of a questionnaire used in research and data collection. It describes the structure, content, and logic of a survey instrument, including sections, questions, response types, validation rules, skip logic, localization, and metadata. As a data model it is often implemented in formats such as JSON, YAML, or XML, enabling survey software to render the instrument and to store responses in a consistent schema.

A kyselymalli comprises several components. Sections organize questions into thematic blocks; questions define the prompt and the type of response (for example, single choice, multiple choice, rating scale, open-ended, or numeric). Each question may have predefined answer options, validation constraints, and conditions for visibility (skip logic). The model maps human-readable items to coded variables suitable for statistical analysis and typically includes metadata such as purpose, target population, language, version, and author.

Use and workflow of a kyselymalli span design, deployment, data collection, and analysis. It is common in social sciences, market research, and user experience studies. Survey tools can render the instrument from the model, enforce validation, and export responses to analysis software. The model supports handling of missing data, data cleaning, and consistent data aggregation across different survey instances.

Design considerations include clarity and neutrality of wording, accessibility, privacy and consent, bias minimization, pilot testing, and version control. An example structure might include sections for demographics and experience, with a numeric age question (0–120) and a Likert-scale satisfaction question (1–5).