What is Skip Logic?
Skip logic (also called branching or conditional logic) routes respondents through different questions or sections based on their earlier answers. It keeps surveys shorter and more relevant by only showing each person the questions that apply to them.
Skip logic is a survey feature that uses a respondent's answers to decide which question or page they see next. For example, if someone answers No
to Do you have children?
, the survey can automatically skip any child-related questions and move to the next relevant section. Conditions can be based on single answers, combinations of answers, numeric ranges, dates or specific text matches. The result is a tailored question flow that reduces irrelevant items, lowers survey fatigue and collects cleaner data. In multilingual platforms like Hearo, the logic is attached to the survey structure rather than to a language version, so the same branching applies across every translated participant experience — but it's important to test that translated wording preserves the intended conditions.
Usage example
Question 1: Do you currently rent your home? • If Yes → show questions about rental experience and costs. • If No → skip to Question 5 about home ownership. A Spanish-speaking respondent will see the same branching in Spanish; an administrator will see all responses and the skipped paths in their chosen language.
Practical application
Why it matters: Skip logic improves response rates and data quality by removing irrelevant questions, saving participants' time and reducing dropouts — especially important when asking busy or multilingual audiences to respond. It also reduces translation overhead because you maintain one survey with the same conditional flow for every language instead of managing multiple language-specific forms. Practical tips: avoid hiding mandatory consent or eligibility questions, prefer value-based conditions (not exact text matches) so translations don't break logic, and always preview each branch in every supported language before launch. Document branching rules so analysis accounts for intentionally skipped items.
FAQ
Is skip logic the same as showing or hiding questions?
They are closely related. Show/hide controls whether a question is visible on the same page; skip logic (branching) often determines navigation — which page or section comes next. Both reduce irrelevant content, but branching changes the respondent's path through the survey.
Will skip logic still work with Hearo's automatic translations?
Yes. In Hearo the logic is tied to the survey's structure, so the same branches apply across all languages. To avoid accidental breaks, use answer values (for example checkbox IDs or numeric thresholds) rather than relying on exact translated text for conditions, and preview branches in each language.
Can skip logic bias my results or create missing data?
It can if used carelessly. Skipping questions removes those items for some respondents by design, so you must plan analysis accordingly. Avoid skipping eligibility or consent unintentionally, pretest branching paths, and make sure important demographic or segmentation questions aren’t hidden from groups you later need to compare.
How do I test skip logic before sending the survey?
Use the survey preview or test mode to run through every possible path, and repeat the test in each language you offer. Try combinations of answers that trigger different branches, check that translated wording still makes the condition clear, and review the admin view to confirm skipped items are recorded as intended.