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, similar to a normal Likert scale question
• Multiple choice, similar to a normal multiple choice question
• Ranking, similar to a normal ranking question
• Categorisation
• Constant sum, similar to a normal constant sum question
• Short text, similar to a normal short text input question
• Number, similar to a normal numeric input question

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.

6. For categorisation subquestions, you can check the box next to all options need to be categorised to ensure respondents must categorise all options before proceeding.

How to use matrix grid questions effectively

Matrix grid questions show much more information to a respondent at once than other available question types. Because of this, it is important to keep the questions clear and concise to avoid overwhelming respondents with information.

Specifically it is important not to treat matrix grid questions as a catch-all for multiple questions. An example of an ineffective matrix grid question is as follows:

In comparison, the following is an example of an effective matrix grid question because the most effective presentation of the options naturally is a matrix grid format:

If you have to use a matrix grid questions, avoid using an excessive number of rows and columns in matrix grid questions. This helps to both ensure high-quality responses by not overloading respondents with information, as well as provide a positive survey experience for respondents on smaller devices. Column labels should be easily readable and represent consistent units.

Alternatives to matrix grid questions

In general, unless presentation of the information naturally lends itself to a matrix grid format, replacing matrix grids with an alternative question type will result in more robust findings. 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 are:

Likert scale

Multiple choice

Star rating grid

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