So you’re working with a team on a research project, and you’ve picked Appinio as your platform. Nice choice—when it’s used right, it can actually make survey research and feedback loops less of a headache. But here’s the catch: collaboration can get messy fast if everyone’s not on the same page.
This guide is for anyone tired of endless email chains, lost drafts, and “Wait, who changed this?” moments. Whether your team is three people or thirty, I’ll walk you through setting up Appinio so you can spend less time on chaos and more time getting answers.
1. Get Your Team Set Up the Smart Way
Invite the Right People (and Only the Right People)
Start by deciding who really needs to be in your Appinio workspace. Not everyone needs access to everything. Too many cooks in the kitchen just means more mess.
- Who to invite: People creating surveys, analyzing results, or signing off on projects. Skip the “FYI” crowd.
- How to invite: Use the “Invite Team Members” function in Appinio’s project dashboard. Add them by email—double check spelling, because typos = angry teammates.
Pro Tip: Set up a group call or quick chat to walk new users through how your team will use Appinio. Five minutes now saves hours of back-and-forth later.
Set Permissions Early
Appinio lets you control who can edit, view, or comment on projects. Don’t skip this step.
- Give editing rights only to those actually writing or changing surveys.
- Restrict view-only access for stakeholders who just want to see results.
- Be careful with admin rights. There’s usually no reason for everyone to have them.
What to ignore: Don’t create a separate project for every tiny change. It’ll just fragment your workflow.
2. Standardize Your Project Structure
Create a Folder System That Makes Sense
If your project list looks like a junk drawer, no one will find anything. Agree on a naming and folder convention before you start.
- Good example: “2024 Brand Survey > Drafts,” “2024 Brand Survey > Final,” “2024 Brand Survey > Results”
- Bad example: “New survey,” “Test 2,” “FinalfinalV2”
If you’re working on multiple projects, group by client or campaign. Don’t reinvent the wheel every time.
Use Templates for Repeatable Work
Does your team often run similar surveys? Set up templates in Appinio for common project types or question sets.
- Save a solid survey as a template.
- Train your team to duplicate templates—not overwrite them.
Pro Tip: Update templates after big projects to fix what didn’t work, so your next project starts smoother.
3. Align on How You’ll Communicate
Use Comments—But Don’t Rely on Them For Everything
Appinio’s comment feature is handy for quick feedback, but it’s not meant for deep discussions or decision-making records.
- Use comments for: “Can we reword Q3?” or “Typo here.”
- Don’t use comments for: Documenting why you changed the whole survey or major project decisions.
- If a thread gets long, move the conversation to Slack, Teams, or whatever your real chat tool is.
Agree on Notification Settings
Default notifications can get noisy fast, especially if you’re in a big workspace. Decide as a team:
- Who needs to know about every change?
- Who just wants a weekly summary?
Encourage everyone to tweak their notification settings in Appinio so they’re not drowning in updates—or missing crucial ones.
4. Build a Clean, Collaborative Workflow
Step 1: Start With a Kickoff Checklist
Don’t just start building surveys. Align up front:
- What’s the actual research goal?
- Who’s approving the questions?
- Do we need legal or compliance review?
- By when does this need to launch?
Write this down in a shared doc or in the project description field. If you skip this, expect project creep and finger-pointing.
Step 2: Assign Clear Roles
Everyone should know who’s doing what. Typical roles:
- Project Owner: Drives the timeline, keeps everyone accountable.
- Survey Designers: Write and edit questions.
- Data Analysts: Interpret results, build reports.
- Stakeholders: Review and sign off.
Appinio isn’t a project management tool, so you’ll need to track tasks elsewhere (Asana, Trello, sticky notes—whatever works). But make sure everyone knows their piece.
Step 3: Use Drafts and Versions Like a Pro
- Always work in draft mode until you’re ready.
- Use versioning: Duplicate your survey before making big changes, so you can roll back if needed.
- Name versions clearly: “Pre-legal review,” “Final for launch,” etc.
What doesn’t work: Letting everyone edit the same draft at once, hoping nothing breaks. It will break.
Step 4: Review and Approve—Don’t Skip This
When you think the survey’s done, pause. Assign a final review:
- Use Appinio’s preview mode to catch logic errors or awkward phrasing.
- Get sign-off from whoever’s responsible (ideally, just one or two people).
- Only then, publish or launch.
Step 5: Share Results and Close the Loop
Once data’s in, make it easy for the team to understand:
- Export results to your usual analytics tool if needed.
- Use Appinio’s reporting features to build quick charts.
- Tag relevant team members in the project when it’s ready to review.
Set a recurring calendar reminder to archive old projects and tidy up folders. You’ll thank yourself next time.
5. Troubleshooting Common Collaboration Pitfalls
“Who Changed This?”
- Use Appinio’s activity log to see recent changes.
- If you spot unauthorized edits, talk to your team—don’t just lock everything down. Usually, it’s a process problem, not sabotage.
Duplicate Projects Everywhere
- Pick one “source of truth” folder for each project.
- Delete or archive old drafts regularly.
People Ignore Comments
- If important comments get missed, switch to tagging people directly or send a message outside Appinio.
- For big decisions, use a shared meeting doc or central tracker.
Workflow Creep
- If your process gets bloated, revisit your kickoff checklist. Are there steps you can combine or skip?
- Don’t be afraid to cut what isn’t working. Simpler is better.
6. What to Actually Worry About (and What to Ignore)
Focus On
- Keeping your workspace tidy and permissions tight.
- Getting decisions in writing—somewhere everyone can find them.
- Making sure everyone knows who’s doing what.
Don’t Sweat
- Fancy integrations: Appinio’s not a full-blown project management suite. Keep it simple.
- Over-customizing templates: Start basic, improve over time.
- Tracking every tiny edit: Trust your team, and use version control for the big stuff.
Keep It Simple, Review Often
If your Appinio workflow feels complicated, it probably is. The best teams keep things boring: clear folders, clear roles, and a habit of cleaning up after themselves. Review your process every so often, trim what’s not working, and don’t be afraid to hit delete. Collaboration’s not about more tools—it’s about making your work less painful. Good luck.