Set Up a MaxDiff Question

A Max diff question shows participants small sets of items. In every set, each participant picks the most and the least of an attribute you set, such as “important”. Use it to find which items matter most.

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Add the question

1. In the study editor, click Add Question.
2. Click Max diff.
3. Type an attribute in the Attribute field, such as “important”.
4. Type each item under Options for Least ___ or Most ___.
5. Click Add option to add more items.

• Each item needs unique, non-empty text.
• A Max diff question needs at least two items.
• It needs at least as many items as its items per screen value.

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Set items per screen

1. Open the Items per screen setting in the question menu.
2. Click 3 items per screen, 4 items per screen, or 5 items per screen.

• The default is 4 items per screen.
• You cannot pick a size larger than the number of unique items.
• The editor shows Display N sets. Each item appears about three times across all sets.

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Add images to items

1. Open the image setting on the question. It reads Add images to options until you add an image.
2. Click Text only, Image options with text, or Image options only.
3. Upload an image to each item.

• Image options only hides the item text for participants. Each item still needs text in the editor.

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Settings that do not apply

• There is no Order setting. Participants see items in a random order.
• There is no Follow-ups setting. To ask why a participant chose an item, add a separate open-ended question after the Max diff question.
• Max diff questions cannot be in a screener block.

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What participants see

• Each set appears on its own screen.
• The left column reads Least and the right column reads Most, followed by your attribute.
• Participants pick one item in each column. Picking an item in one column removes it from the other.
• The Next button stays disabled until both columns have a pick.

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View results

Results appear on the Max diff results page.