--- title: "Matrix questions in surveys: examples and best practices" description: "What a matrix question is, examples of matrix and grid questions, single vs multiple answers per row, how they look on phones and how to read the results." url: https://askyo.ru/en/question-types/matrix lang: en last_modified: 2026-09-27 --- 1. [Home](https://askyo.ru/en) 2. [Question types](https://askyo.ru/en/question-types) 3. Matrix questions Question type # Matrix questions A matrix question is a survey question laid out as a grid: items to rate run down the rows and a shared answer scale runs across the columns. Respondents pick an answer in each row, so several similar questions, such as rating speed, price and quality from poor to excellent, fit on one screen. Available on the free plan [Build a survey with this question ](https://app.askyo.ru/build)[Survey templates](https://askyo.ru/en/templates) ## Matrix question example A post-purchase survey might ask «How would you rate the following?» with these rows and columns: | | Poor | Fair | Good | Excellent | | --------------- | ---- | ---- | ---- | --------- | | Delivery speed | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | | Packaging | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | | Product quality | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | | Value for money | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | 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». What you can set - matrix rows - matrix columns - one answer per row or several ## Templates that already use it - «Rate individual aspects of your request» [CSAT: support ticket rating](https://askyo.ru/en/templates/csat-support) [Feedback](https://askyo.ru/en/templates/category/feedback) - «Rate individual characteristics» [Product review](https://askyo.ru/en/templates/product-feedback) [Feedback](https://askyo.ru/en/templates/category/feedback) - «Rate readiness section by section» [Work acceptance / site visit](https://askyo.ru/en/templates/field-inspection) [Leads and contacts](https://askyo.ru/en/templates/category/lead) - «How much do you agree with these statements?» [Team pulse survey](https://askyo.ru/en/templates/team-pulse) [HR and team](https://askyo.ru/en/templates/category/hr) - «How much do you agree?» [eNPS: employee loyalty](https://askyo.ru/en/templates/enps) [HR and team](https://askyo.ru/en/templates/category/hr) - «Rate your onboarding on these aspects» [New hire onboarding](https://askyo.ru/en/templates/onboarding) [HR and team](https://askyo.ru/en/templates/category/hr) - «What has changed at home since kindergarten started?» [Settling into kindergarten](https://askyo.ru/en/templates/kindergarten-adaptation) [Education](https://askyo.ru/en/templates/category/education) - «How satisfied are you?» [Parent satisfaction with the school](https://askyo.ru/en/templates/school-satisfaction) [Education](https://askyo.ru/en/templates/category/education) - «Rate the meals point by point» [School meals survey](https://askyo.ru/en/templates/school-meals) [Education](https://askyo.ru/en/templates/category/education) - «How far do you agree with these statements?» [Feedback for the class teacher](https://askyo.ru/en/templates/class-teacher-feedback) [Education](https://askyo.ru/en/templates/category/education) - «Rate the individual aspects» [Event feedback](https://askyo.ru/en/templates/event-feedback) [Events](https://askyo.ru/en/templates/category/event) - «Over the past month, how often did you…» [Health questionnaire](https://askyo.ru/en/templates/health-survey) [Research](https://askyo.ru/en/templates/category/research) - «How often do you use the following services?» [In-depth market research](https://askyo.ru/en/templates/market-research-deep) [Research](https://askyo.ru/en/templates/category/research) Frequently asked questions ## Matrix questions: common questions Are matrix questions bad for mobile surveys? Wide grids are, because they force sideways scrolling and tiny targets. A matrix that turns each row into a card on small screens avoids that. Keep columns to four or five and rows to about seven, and the question works on a phone as well as on a laptop. What is straight-lining in a matrix question? Straight-lining is when a respondent picks the same column in every row without reading, usually out of fatigue. Shorter grids, specific row wording and one reversed row help you spot it. Answers where all rows match on a long grid deserve a second look before analysis. How many rows and columns should a matrix have? Aim for three to seven rows and four or five columns. Fewer than three rows and separate questions read just as fast; more than seven and attention drops towards the bottom of the grid. If the list is longer, split it into two matrices by theme. Is a matrix the same as a Likert scale? Not quite. A matrix is a layout; a Likert scale is a measurement method. A matrix with agreement columns and statements as rows is a compact way to show a Likert battery, but a matrix can just as well hold frequency, importance or satisfaction ratings. ## Neighbouring types - [Likert scale](https://askyo.ru/en/question-types/likert) - [Employee survey](https://askyo.ru/en/employee-survey) - [Ready-made templates](https://askyo.ru/en/templates) - [Long answer](https://askyo.ru/en/question-types/long-text) - [Text block](https://askyo.ru/en/question-types/statement) - [Star rating](https://askyo.ru/en/question-types/rating-stars) - [Single choice](https://askyo.ru/en/question-types/single-choice) - [Yes / No](https://askyo.ru/en/question-types/yes-no) - [Multiple choice](https://askyo.ru/en/question-types/multi-choice) - [All question types](https://askyo.ru/en/question-types) ## Build a survey with this question Turn four similar rating questions into one matrix and compare the rows on a single chart. [Build a survey ](https://app.askyo.ru/build)[Survey templates](https://askyo.ru/en/templates)