Choosing the right research method
When a survey isn't enough
Surveys are great when you know the questions, need structured quantitative data, and want answers from many people. They are less useful when the important part is the reason behind an answer — why someone churned, why they picked a competitor, why they aren't using a feature — or when you do not yet know what to ask.
Here's when each fits
Speed
Fast to answer and easy to aggregate.
A short conversation, typically around five to ten minutes.
Depth
A focused response to each question you wrote.
Explores the context and reasons behind what someone says.
Scale
Strong for comparable answers from a large group.
One share link can reach any number of respondents, with each person interviewed individually.
Cost
Often inexpensive per response, depending on the tool.
distil is free to create and answer.
Follow-up
Usually fixed once the survey is published.
The AI asks follow-ups based on each respondent's actual answer.
Use a survey when…
You need a count, a rating, or a consistent set of fields across a large population. Surveys make it easier to compare answers and spot broad patterns.
Use an interview when…
You need to understand why someone chose an answer, what they tried first, or what they would do next. An AI interview captures the depth of a 1-on-1 call without scheduling 20 calls.
See the difference in the output
distil turns conversations into findings with attributed quotes, areas where respondents disagree, and suggested next steps—not just rows of answers.