Matrix questions

Matrix question example

A post-purchase survey might ask «How would you rate the following?» with these rows and columns:

Four questions, one screen, one scale to learn. That is the whole appeal: less reading for the respondent and results that line up neatly for comparison.

Single or multiple answers per row

The classic matrix allows one answer per row, which makes it a compact set of rating or Likert items. The multiple-answer version turns each row into a checklist: «Which of these channels do you use for each task?» with tasks as rows and channels as columns.

The second kind is harder to answer and harder to read. Use it only when the rows genuinely need several ticks.

More matrix question examples

• How satisfied are you with each part of your job? (rows: pay, workload, team, growth)
• How often do you use these features? (columns: never, monthly, weekly, daily)
• How important is each factor when choosing a supplier? (columns: not important … critical)
• Rate the conference sessions you attended. (rows: session titles)

How to read matrix question results

Treat every row as its own question with the same scale. Look at the share of answers per cell, then compare rows by the share of the top one or two columns. That comparison is what the matrix is for: «packaging gets 80% good or excellent, value for money only 45%» is a finding in one sentence.

Row score = answers in the top two columns / answers in the row × 100%
Example: Value for money, 200 answers, 50 Good + 40 Excellent
Row score = 90 / 200 × 100% = 45%

When not to use a matrix

• Rows need different scales. A matrix only has one set of columns.
• You have more than about seven rows. Long grids invite straight-lining: the same column all the way down.
• Each row deserves its own follow-up. Separate questions are easier to branch from.

Common matrix question mistakes

• Too many columns. On a phone, eight answer labels do not fit anywhere readable.
• Vague rows like «Service». Name the exact thing: «Response time in chat».
• Mixing positive and negative rows without warning, which trips up fast readers.
• Using a matrix just to save space. If the questions are not truly parallel, split them.

Matrix questions in Askyo

A new matrix block comes with rows Quality, Speed and Price and columns Poor, Fair and Excellent, in «one answer per row» mode. You rename and add rows and columns freely and switch the block to «several per row» when you need checkboxes.

On a wide screen respondents see a table. On a phone each row turns into its own card with the answers stacked as buttons, so nobody has to scroll a grid sideways. A matrix counts as answered only when every row has a value, which keeps half-filled grids out of the data.

Results show the row by column grid with percentages, the most chosen column and how many rows were answered. In the responses CSV a matrix is one cell per response written as «Row: column; Row: column».