Survey fatigue and the tragedy of the commons: Are we undermining our evaluation practice?

The arrival of low-cost online and automated survey technologies has substantially increased the possibilities for gathering data on people’s views and experiences. In the face of COVID-19, this has enabled continued outreach to people at a time when face-to-face surveys are often impossible. Yet the enhanced opportunity for gathering data also brings with it the danger of its over-use, and with it, the onset of survey fatigue.