Creating a MaxDiff

MaxDiff (Best-Worst Scaling) is a method for estimating preference or importance scores for a set of items, such as brands, product features, or claims. Rather than asking respondents to rank a large list, MaxDiff breaks it into smaller tasks. In each task, respondents choose the best and worst items from a subset, typically consisting of 4-6 items at a time. This approach makes the process more manageable for respondents and produces more accurate, reliable results.

MaxDiff outperforms traditional rating scales by offering clearer distinctions between preferences. Since respondents choose only the "best" and "worst" options — without relying on a response scale — it eliminates common biases seen in cross-cultural research.

1. Click any Add button.
   
2. Select MaxDiff.
   
3. Enter question text.
4. Enter list items. Enter options one by one or paste in a list from a program such as Microsoft Word or Excel. There must be at least six items.
   

A new list is automatically generated for your question, or you can choose an existing list from the selection dropdown. Enter options individually or paste them from programs like Microsoft Word or Excel.

Tailor the list shown to each respondent by applying a Dynamic list. This allows you to build logic that controls which items appear—for example, showing only the items a respondent selected in a previous question. Once you select a dynamic list, make sure to change the MaxDiff type to Relevant items in the Advanced tab of the exercise.

If a Dynamic list containing an exclusive item is applied to a Relevant items MaxDiff, that item will automatically be removed from the exercise analysis. Since the item is never included in a respondent’s design, keeping it would distort the utility calculation.

Modify MaxDiff labels in the settings panel. Three different labels are available for a MaxDiff.

1. Best and worst labels: These label the scale on which a respondent considers and chooses the items in the list.
2. Items label: This label provides context for the items respondents choose from. For example, you can use the label “Cookies” above a list of cookie flavors.
3. Show exercise progress (number of tasks) & Task label: This counter indicates the respondent's progress throughout the exercise. The counter can be disabled, and the label field is optional.

On the Advanced tab, you will find additional settings that are not required for preparing a basic MaxDiff exercise but are available if you wish to refine it further.