Matrix grid

Matrix grid questions are advanced survey questions that shows respondents multiple questions arranged in rows and columns. The advantage of this arrangement is that it allows respondents to review several items at once.

Matrix grids support 7 different question subtypes:

• Likert scale
• Multiple choice
• Ranking
• Categorisation
• Constant sum
• Short text
• Number

Respondent view

Matrix grid question outputs

The matrix grid question outputs differ slightly based on the type of subquestion.

Distribution of responses (table)

For multiple choice, ranking, and categorization subquestions, the matrix grid questions produce a table showing the distribution of responses.

Distribution of responses (chart)

For Likert scale, constant sum, and number subquestion types, the matrix grid questions produce a table and a chart displaying the distribution of responses.

Analysis of short text responses

For short text subquestions, the matrix grid produces the following outputs:

• Word clouds that show the most frequent words used in respondent comments. Click Select row or Select column to filter the responses for specific row or column.
• The frequency of responses for each row.
• The average length of responses (in characters) for each row and column.

Setting up a matrix grid question

Follow these steps to set up a matrix grid question.

1. Add question

Navigate to the Add questions tab and click on the Add question button at the bottom of the page.

On the Add or import questions pop-out, select the Add a new question tab and click on the Matrix grid question card to add it to the experiment.

2. Edit question options

Once you add the question, you can adjust the following settings:

1. Select the question subtypes.
2. Insert the question text in the Question text field. You can also include formatting and images.
3. Set the rows and columns based on the question subtype you choose.
4. The order of columns and rows can be set to be fixed, random, or flip (top-to-bottom and bottom-to-top).
5. You may also specify the number of responses required per column or per row.

How to use matrix grid questions effectively?

Matrix grid questions offer significantly more information than other available question types. It’s important to avoid using an excessive number of rows and columns to ensure high-quality responses and a positive survey experience for respondents on smaller devices.

What are the alternatives to matrix grid questions?

The best alternative to matrix grid questions is nesting multiple questions within a monadic block. This allows you to easily ask multiple questions per stimulus, while not overloading the user with information.

Common questions to be nested within a monadic block:

• Likert scale questions

  

• Multiple choice questions

  

• Star rating grid questions

  

For more information regarding monadic blocks, check out our guide on monadic testing and how to use them