What is a major advantage of open-ended questions?

Open-ended questions provide respondents with the freedom to express their thoughts and opinions in their own words, which allows for a broader range of responses. This is particularly valuable because it can reveal unanticipated problems or solutions that the survey designer may not have considered. By allowing respondents to elaborate and share their unique insights, open-ended questions can capture nuances and complexities of experiences that closed questions might miss. This qualitative data can lead to a richer understanding of the issues at hand and help in identifying areas for improvement or innovative ideas that are not captured in predetermined response options.

Overall, the ability to glean unexpected insights significantly enhances the quality and depth of the information collected, making open-ended questions a powerful tool in command climate assessments and organizational surveys.