Overview
Choice-Based Conjoint (CBC) is the most popular conjoint-related technique in use today. With this Lighthouse Studio component, respondents are shown multiple product concepts (and an optional "None" alternative) and are simply asked which one they would choose.
Our CBC software is a component within our Lighthouse Studio suite of tools. It may be used for:
- Web-based interviewing
- CAPI interviewing (computers not connected to the Internet)
- Paper-based interviewing
Base System Features
- Up to 10 attributes (expandable with the Advanced Design Module)
- Up to 15 levels per attribute, text and/or graphics (expandable with the Advanced Design Module)
- Up to 16 product concepts per screen (expandable with the Advanced Design Module)
- Experimental designer for CBC questionnaire construction
- Test design module for assessing the relative efficiency of designs
- Import/Export designs to/from other software programs
- Traditional or dual-response "None"
- Single choice, best-worst, or allocation (chip allocation)
- Traditional or conditional price attribute
- Built-in aggregate logit, latent class, and HB routines for estimating part-worth utilities for the population or pre-defined subgroups
- Part-worth or linear continuous variable functions
- Main effect and optional first-order interactions
- Choice Simulator software included, for conducting market simulations
System Requirements
Lighthouse Studio supports Windows 7 and later.
Server Requirements
For web-based data collection, the software works on any Windows or Unix(Linux) based server platform that supports Perl scripts (including inexpensive shared hosting solutions).
If you are having trouble deciding which conjoint method might be best for your specific situation, try our Interactive Advisor.
Methodology
What is Choice-Based Conjoint?
Choice-Based Conjoint (CBC) is used for discrete choice modeling, now the most often used conjoint-related method in the world. The main characteristic distinguishing choice-based from other types of conjoint analysis is that the respondent expresses preferences by choosing from sets of concepts, rather than by rating or ranking them. The choice-based task is similar to what buyers actually do in the marketplace. Choosing a preferred product from a group of products is a simple and natural task that everyone can understand.
If you are having trouble deciding which conjoint method might be best for your specific situation, try our Interactive Advisor.

CBC is often used to study the relationship between price and demand. It is especially useful when the price-demand relationship differs from brand to brand. One of the strengths of CBC is its ability to deal with interactions, such as when different colors work better with different styles. Most conjoint methods are based on "main effects only" models that ignore the existence of such interactions. In contrast, CBC may be used to evaluate all two-way interactions.
The CBC System provides everything needed to conduct a choice-based conjoint study via Web, CAPI (devices not connected to the Web), or paper-based surveys.
CBC data can be analyzed in a number of ways. First, the relative impact of each attribute level can be assessed just by counting "wins." In randomized CBC designs, each attribute level is equally likely to occur with each level of every other attribute. Therefore, the impact of each level can be assessed by counting the proportion of times concepts including that level are chosen. This "counting" method can be used for main effects as well as for two- or three-way interactions. For a second type of analysis, CBC includes an easy-to-use module to perform multinomial logit estimation. This analysis results in a set of conjoint "utilities," but which differ from standard conjoint in that they describe preferences of a group rather than for an individual. CBC's Logit module can estimate main-effects and two-way interactions.
Two advanced analysis modules are included with the base CBC System (Lighthouse Studio V8 and later): the Latent Class Segmentation Module and the Hierarchical Bayes Module. An Advanced Design Module is also available as an extension of the base CBC System for accommodating alternative-specific designs, shelf-display, and partial-profile CBC.
Read More
Video
This 10 minute video introduces you to the Choice-Based Conjoint (CBC) module of Lighthouse Studio. Presented by Bryan Orme, President of Sawtooth Software, Inc.
Pricing
To unlock the CBC design, fielding, and analysis capabilities within Lighthouse Studio, you will need to purchase a Suite Subscription, a CBC Component Subscription, or an Academic Subscription. Click one of the graphics below to go to our Pricing and Ordering page for more information or to request a quote.