Ranking Questions

Ranking questions ask respondents to order items by preference, importance, or priority. They reveal relative priorities rather than independent ratings.

When to Use

Ranking questions are ideal for:

• Priority ordering - What matters most?
• Preference ranking - Order by preference
• Feature prioritization - What should we build?
• Relative importance - Compare options

Adding a Ranking Question

1. Click Add Question in the survey editor
2. Select Ranking
3. Enter your question text
4. Add items to rank
5. Configure ranking options

Configuration Options

Items to Rank

Add the items respondents will order:

Adding items:

• Enter each item
• Drag to set initial order
• Add 3-8 items (recommended)

Item format:

• Short, clear labels
• Similar length
• Parallel structure

Ranking Style

Drag and drop:

• Most intuitive
• Touch-friendly
• Visual reordering

Number selection:

• Assign 1, 2, 3…
• Better for accessibility
• Works without JavaScript

Arrow buttons:

• Move up/down
• Simple interaction
• Clear feedback

Partial Ranking

Rank only top items:

Rank all:

• Every item must be ordered
• Full prioritization

Rank top N:

• “Rank your top 3”
• Reduces burden
• Focus on priorities

Randomization

Reduce position bias:

• Randomize initial order - Different start for each respondent
• Fixed items - Anchor specific items at top/bottom

Required Response

Options:

• All items ranked
• Minimum items ranked
• Top N required

Best Practices

Number of Items

Items	Recommendation
3-5	Ideal, easy to rank
6-8	Good, takes more thought
9-12	Consider “rank top 5”
12+	Too many, split or use different question

Item Design

Clear and distinct:

Good:
- Price
- Quality
- Customer service
- Convenience

Bad:
- Good prices
- Great quality
- Helpful service
- Easy experience

Avoid overlap:

Good:
- Email support
- Phone support
- Live chat

Bad:
- Fast support
- Good support
- Helpful support

Question Wording

Specify criteria:

Good: "Rank these features by importance to your daily work"
Bad: "Rank these features"

Clear direction:

Good: "Rank from most important (1) to least important (5)"
Bad: "Order these items"

When NOT to Use Ranking

Consider alternatives when:

• Independent ratings needed → Use matrix/rating scale
• Yes/no per item → Use checkboxes
• Too many items → Use max-diff or multiple questions
• Abstract concepts → Use rating scales

Advanced Features

Conditional Logic

Skip logic:

• If [Item] ranked #1 → show follow-up
• Route based on top choice

Display logic:

• Show only if previous question answered
• Display relevant items based on earlier answers

Piping

Reference rankings in follow-up:

You ranked {{Q1_rank1}} as most important.
Why is this your top priority?

Scoring

Assign scores for analysis:

• Rank 1 = 5 points
• Rank 2 = 4 points
• Rank 3 = 3 points
• etc.

Calculate weighted scores.

Analyzing Results

Viewing Results

Rank distribution:

• How often each item ranked #1, #2, etc.
• Overall ranking summary

Average rank:

• Mean position for each item
• Compare items

Visualization

Best charts:

• Stacked bar (rank distribution)
• Table with ranks
• Heat map

Calculating Overall Rankings

By average rank:

• Sum of (rank × count) ÷ responses
• Lower = more preferred

By first-place votes:

• Count #1 rankings
• Good for “top choice”

By weighted score:

• Assign points to each rank
• Total points per item

Statistical Analysis

Correlation:

• Which items are ranked together?
• Identify patterns

Segment comparison:

• How do groups rank differently?
• Demographics, customer type

Common Use Cases

Feature Prioritization

Rank these features by importance for the next release:

1. [________]
2. [________]
3. [________]
4. [________]
5. [________]

- Dashboard improvements
- Mobile app
- API enhancements
- Reporting tools
- Integration options

Purchase Factors

When choosing a product, rank these factors from most to least important:

- Price
- Quality
- Brand reputation
- Customer reviews
- Warranty

Content Preferences

Rank these content types by how interested you are:

- How-to guides
- Case studies
- Industry news
- Product updates
- Expert interviews

Service Priorities

Rank these support options by preference:

- Phone support
- Email support
- Live chat
- Self-service portal
- Community forum

Employee Priorities

Rank these workplace factors by importance to you:

- Salary and benefits
- Work-life balance
- Career growth
- Company culture
- Job security

Ranking vs. Other Question Types

vs. Rating Scale

Ranking	Rating
Forces prioritization	Independent ratings
Relative comparison	Absolute judgment
One winner	Can rate all highly
Limited items	Many items okay

Use ranking when: You need to know relative preferences Use rating when: You need independent assessments

vs. Checkboxes

Ranking	Checkboxes
Ordered list	Unordered selection
All items considered	Select subset
Shows preference strength	Binary yes/no

vs. Max-Diff

Ranking	Max-Diff
Order all items	Best/worst pairs
Simpler for respondent	More statistically robust
Good for 3-8 items	Good for 10+ items

Mobile Considerations

Touch Interactions

• Large drag handles
• Clear drop zones
• Visual feedback
• Undo option

Alternative Styles

On mobile, consider:

• Number selection
• Up/down arrows
• Simplified interface

Testing

• Test on various devices
• Check touch responsiveness
• Verify visual feedback

Troubleshooting

Random/Careless Ranking

Signs of poor quality:

• Very quick response times
• First item always ranked first

Prevention:

• Randomize initial order
• Reduce number of items
• Make question important

Ties/Indecision

Respondents can’t decide between items:

• Add “rank top N” option
• Provide clearer criteria
• Reduce similar items

High Drop-off

Ranking may be:

• Too many items (reduce)
• Confusing items (clarify)
• Hard to use (test interface)

Mobile Issues

• Drag doesn’t work well
• Items too small
• Can’t see all items

Solutions:

• Use arrow buttons
• Increase item size
• Test on devices

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Related articles:

• Matrix/Rating Scale Questions
• Checkboxes
• Question Types Overview