Matrix/Rating Scale Questions

Matrix questions display a grid where respondents rate multiple items using the same scale. They’re efficient for comparing attributes or collecting Likert scale responses.

When to Use

Matrix questions are ideal for:

Rating multiple attributes - Rate product features
Likert scale questions - Agreement/disagreement statements
Comparative ratings - Compare items on same criteria
Satisfaction batteries - Multiple satisfaction questions

Adding a Matrix Question

Click Add Question in the survey editor
Select Matrix/Rating Scale
Add row items (things to rate)
Add column options (scale points)
Configure settings

Configuration Options

Row Items

Things being rated:

Adding rows:

Enter item text
Add multiple rows
Drag to reorder

Example rows:

Product quality
Customer service
Value for money
Ease of use

Column Options

Your rating scale:

Common scales:

Very Dissatisfied → Very Satisfied
Strongly Disagree → Strongly Agree
Poor → Excellent
Never → Always

Scale points:

3 points (simple)
5 points (standard)
7 points (detailed)

Layout Options

Standard matrix:

Rows as items
Columns as scale

Transposed:

Swap rows and columns
Useful for many scale points, few items

Mobile layout:

Stack on mobile
Dropdown per row
Cards view

Randomization

Reduce order bias:

Randomize rows - Different order per respondent
Randomize columns - Reverse scale for some
Keep first/last fixed - Anchor specific items

Required Response

Options:

All rows required
At least one row required
Specific rows required

Best Practices

Scale Design

Balanced scales:

Good: "Strongly Disagree, Disagree, Neutral, Agree, Strongly Agree"
Bad: "Disagree, Neutral, Agree, Strongly Agree" (unbalanced)

Clear labels:

Good: "Very Unlikely, Unlikely, Neutral, Likely, Very Likely"
Bad: "1, 2, 3, 4, 5" (meaning unclear)

Consistent direction: Keep positive/negative consistent across questions.

Row Guidelines

Limit rows:

5-7 rows maximum
Split into multiple matrices if needed
Prevents fatigue

Clear items:

One concept per row
Similar length
Parallel structure

Avoid double-barreled:

Good: "The product is easy to use"
Bad: "The product is easy to use and affordable"

Avoiding Response Bias

Straight-lining: Respondents select same column for all rows.

Prevention:

Randomize row order
Mix positive/negative items
Use attention checks
Keep matrix short

Advanced Features

N/A Option

Add “Not Applicable” column:

Toggle Add N/A option
Appears as extra column
Excluded from scoring

Force Ranking

Require different answers per row:

Each column can only be selected once
Forces prioritization
Use for ranking within matrix

Conditional Logic

Skip logic:

If any row rated ≤2 → show follow-up
If all rows rated ≥4 → skip to thank you

Display logic:

Show only if previous question answered
Show specific rows based on earlier answers

Piping

Reference ratings later:

You rated "Customer Service" as {{Q1_row2}}.
What specifically influenced this rating?

Scoring

Assign values for analysis:

Strongly Disagree = 1
Disagree = 2
Neutral = 3
Agree = 4
Strongly Agree = 5

Calculate totals, averages, or custom scores.

Analyzing Results

Viewing Results

Per row:

Distribution across columns
Mean score
Comparison to other rows

Aggregate:

Overall patterns
Highest/lowest rated items
Score ranges

Charts

Best visualizations:

Stacked bar chart
Heat map
Diverging bar chart
Table with color coding

Statistical Analysis

Mean scores:

Average rating per row
Compare items

Standard deviation:

Agreement level
Consistency of responses

Statistical tests:

Compare between groups
Paired comparisons
Significance testing

Cross-Tabulation

Analyze by segment:

How do ratings differ by customer type?
Compare departments
Track over time

Common Use Cases

Product Satisfaction

Rate your satisfaction with each aspect:

                    Very      Somewhat   Neutral   Somewhat   Very
                    Dissatis. Dissatis.           Satisfied  Satisfied
Product quality     ○         ○          ○        ○          ○
Ease of use         ○         ○          ○        ○          ○
Value for money     ○         ○          ○        ○          ○
Customer support    ○         ○          ○        ○          ○

Likert Scale

Please indicate your agreement:

                              Strongly  Disagree  Neutral  Agree  Strongly
                              Disagree                            Agree
I would recommend
this product                  ○         ○         ○        ○      ○
The product met
my expectations              ○         ○         ○        ○      ○
I will purchase
again                        ○         ○         ○        ○      ○

Feature Importance

How important is each feature?

                    Not       Slightly  Moderately  Very      Extremely
                    Important Important Important   Important Important
Dashboard           ○         ○         ○          ○         ○
Reports             ○         ○         ○          ○         ○
Mobile app          ○         ○         ○          ○         ○
Integrations        ○         ○         ○          ○         ○

Frequency Matrix

How often do you use each feature?

                Daily  Weekly  Monthly  Rarely  Never
Email           ○      ○       ○        ○       ○
Calendar        ○      ○       ○        ○       ○
Tasks           ○      ○       ○        ○       ○
Notes           ○      ○       ○        ○       ○

Mobile Considerations

Responsive Design

Matrices adapt for mobile:

Stacked layout - One row at a time
Dropdown per row - Select from list
Card view - Swipeable cards

Optimization Tips

Shorten row text
Limit to 5 columns
Test on devices
Consider alternative question types

Troubleshooting

High Drop-off

Matrix may be too large:

Reduce rows
Split into multiple questions
Improve instructions

Straight-lining

Same response for all rows:

Randomize order
Mix item directions
Add attention check
Shorten matrix

Mobile Issues

Test responsive layout
Shorten text
Use dropdown variant
Consider breaking up

Confusing Results

Labels may be unclear
Scale direction inconsistent
Items overlap in meaning

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