Being cynical it appears that Higher Education now places a great deal of emphasis on information gleaned from student surveys to enhance their institutional performance in future surveys. The dominance of satisfaction-orientated questionnaires in mass education systems can elicit management responses to metrics and comments in ways that may not be profitable in terms of direct educational gains. This presentation explores examples of misinterpretation of satisfaction metrics an insight into the relationship between metrics and written comments and then revisits the debate surrounding the balance between 'what learners want and what they need'. Lessons from engagement-style surveys are used to provide insights into mechanisms that can potentially enhance the design of learning systems in a holistic sense. Key messages are reflected upon in the context of the need for the 'cuddle factor' at the scale of the individual.
