A MaxDiff exercise, also known as "best-worst" scaling, asks respondents to choose their most and least important choice between pairs of statements or items.
MaxDiffs can be created with the create maxdiff widget or with the type: maxdiff tag.
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Details
- A MaxDiff consists of two components: a design spreadsheet and the programming tag (
type: maxdiff) or widget (create maxdiff) that builds the exercise. - When using the
create maxdiffwidget, theintrotag is required to define the question text. When using thetype: maxdifftag, the question text can be constructed similarly to a radio question, (e.g.,MD1. Rate which of the following...). - Then, you can either explicitly specify the design spreadsheet using the
design fromtag or allow the software to find the best design for you. - The
statements fromlistcall tag is always required to reference the statements that will be rated. - The MaxDiff data output includes a variable
QMD_TRACKwhich indicates which track the respondent took, as well as a series ofQMD_XLandQMD_XMvariables. The "_XL" variable stores the selection for the Least option for that iteration, and "_XM" stores the option selected for Most. - The MaxDiff system variables
$maxdiff_taskand$maxdiff_task_countcan be used in programming logic to refer to the current task (page) and the total number of tasks.
Tips! A MaxDiff can be scored and used for TURF analysis directly within the platform. See Scoring a MaxDiff for more information on analysis, raw scores, and rescaled scores.
IntelliSurvey also supports "expedited MaxDiffs." For assistance with customization, contact a Support agent.
MaxDiff tags
Depending on which method you use to create a MaxDiff, there are several tags that can be applied to customize the exercise.
| MaxDiff tags | Description |
design from |
Specifies the name of the spreadsheet containing the MaxDiff design. If not provided, the software will automatically use the best matching design from existing ones in the system. Note, |
|
|
Required with the |
layout |
Describes the column ordering for how the exercise is displayed, with 'M' for most, 'L' for least, and 'S' for statement. The ordering of these letters controls the ordering of the columns on the page. Standard ordering, if omitted, is 'MSL' (statements in the middle). Available configurations are listed below.
|
most/least
|
Changes the text for the "most" and "least" columns, respectively. If not provided, defaults to "Most" and "Least." |
notice |
Specifies a text to display to the respondent, often called a "boost" or encouragement message. Multiple The
|
raw scores |
If set to 'y', raw scores are included in the output during scoring. Raw scores represent the calculated MaxDiff scores, where the average score for each person across all items is '0'. Negative scores indicate items less important than average, while positive scores indicate items more important than average. |
set order |
Accepts both explicit ordering and shorthand ordering syntax to define the sets' displayed order. |
statement shows |
Specifies the number of times to display a statement to the respondent. Note, this tag is used in place of the |
statements from |
Required for all MaxDiffs. Behaves similarly to the |
statements per page |
Specifies the number of statements to display on each page to the respondent. Note, this tag is used in place of the |
|
(alias |
For r9+; if set to 'y', a question is added before the MaxDiff to allow survey testers to choose a track. This question is only shown to test records. |
Tips! You can reference MaxDiff system variables to create helpful instructions, such as "Page X of Y", where "X" indicates how many pages they've answered out of the total. For example: instructions: Page $maxdiff_task of $maxdiff_task_count.
Decorators cannot be used directly on the statements from tag at this time. If need be, create a setlist first of the statements including the decorators, then reference the list in statements from.
Commonly used tags
There are several other tags that can be applied to a MaxDiff exercise. The most common tags are listed below.
| Other tags | Description |
heading or headings
|
Creates a header for the columns. Use 'headings' to create multiple headers. |
instructions |
Specifies the instructions that appear below the intro/question text. |
mode: mobile |
Provides a more "mobile-friendly" version of the MaxDiff exercise, displaying the exercise with a single column of buttons where the user can click either the left or right side of the button to indicate Least/Most. |
preface |
Places the specified text above the MaxDiff introduction text. |
progressbar |
If set to 'y', a progress bar will be displayed, incrementing as the respondent progresses through the exercise. |
randomize |
If set to 'y', the statement order is randomized on each page. |
table heading |
Defines the heading text that will appear above the statements column in the MaxDiff table. |
Additional examples
Using the 'create maxdiff' widget
The MaxDiff exercise introduced at the beginning of the article can also be built with the create maxdiff widget, as shown below. The user experience and reporting output remain the same.
set list: MDSTATEMENTS
1. Ability to customise the package
2. Wide selection of suitable flight options
3. Cheapest prices
4. Quality of customer support
5. Flexible payment options
6. Flexible and clear cancellation
7. Provides sustainable holiday options and policies
8. Trustworthiness of the company
9. Quality of accommodation offered
10. Quality of flights offered
11. Ease of booking
12. Value for money
13. Loyalty programmes or incentives
14. One-stop-shop covering all booking needs
15. Personalised options based on my preferences and budget
16. Wide selection of suitable accommodation options
create maxdiff: 18
intro: When booking a <i>package trip / holiday</i>, which factors are most important and least important in selecting who to book through?
statements from: MDSTATEMENTS
layout: LSM
most: Most important
least: Least important
Modifying how statements are displayed
If you need to adjust the system defaults for the MaxDiff design, you can modify certain parameters with the statement shows and/or statements per page tags. These tags specify how many times each statement should be shown to the respondent (in total) and the number of statements to include per page, respectively.
set list: FRUITS 1. Apple 2. Banana 3. Pear 4. Orange 5. Mango 6. Strawberry 7. Kiwi 8. Lemon 9. Lime 10. Grapes MD1. Rate which fruits in each set you enjoy most and the least. type: maxdiff statements from: FRUITS statement shows: 3 statements per page: 5
MaxDiffs typically display each statement 3 times (in total) and include 4 or 5 statements per page, but you can slightly increase or decrease these parameters if the design supports it. If the software cannot find a design match, the parser will display a red error message and suggest potential adjustments to match existing design formats.
Specifying a design from a sheet
System design sheets can be referenced and "called in" with the design from tag. The designs available depend on the number of statements in the list. For example, the sheet 'system.zmd_10stmts_4ppg_8pgs_3shows' supports 10 statements, with four statements per page, each shown three times, across a total of eight pages.
set list: FRUITS 1. Apple 2. Banana 3. Pear 4. Orange 5. Mango 6. Strawberry 7. Kiwi 8. Lemon 9. Lime 10. Grapes MD2. Rate which fruits in each set you enjoy most and the least. type: maxdiff statements from: FRUITS design from: system.zmd_10stmts_4ppg_8pgs_3shows
The design sheet already accounts for the total number of statements in the list and uses this to determine the number of statements per page and total shows. Therefore, when the design from tag is applied, the statement shows and statements per page tags cannot be used.
Including a notice
The following example demonstrates how to add a custom message halfway through the exercise using the notice tag. The set decorator defines when the message appears, and the closebutton decorator adds an "X" to the pop-up message window.
Adjusting for mobile devices
To provide a better user experience, the mode: mobile tag can be applied to MaxDiff exercises for a more streamlined view on mobile devices. This mode displays the exercise in a single column, with statements acting as buttons. By default, clicking the left side selects "Least," and the right side selects "Most." The layout tag can be used to flip this behavior if needed.
Programmers are encouraged to use the instructions tag to clarify how respondents should make their selections.
Tip! Since mode: mobile displays a MaxDiff exercise as a single column, when using the layout tag, the 'S' is not required. Instead inputs of 'LM' or 'ML' (default) are accepted.
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