When to Use

• Respondent can select only one option from a list
• Options are mutually exclusive
• You need clear, unambiguous categorical data
• Typically 2-7 response options (more than 7 may overwhelm)

Best Practices

• Exhaustive options - Include all reasonable possibilities
• "Other" option - Add with text field for unexpected responses
• Logical order - Arrange chronologically, alphabetically, or by frequency
• Balanced scales - Equal positive/negative options for opinion questions
• Avoid overlaps - Ensure options don't overlap (e.g., "18-25" vs "25-35")

Example Use Cases

• Demographics: age group, gender, education level
• Brand preference: which brand do you prefer?
• Voting intention: which candidate would you vote for?
• Yes/No questions with "Don't know" option

When to Use

• Respondent can select multiple options
• Options are not mutually exclusive
• You want to measure all applicable behaviors, preferences, or characteristics
• Typically 3-10 response options

Best Practices

• Set limits - Consider "select up to 3" if you need prioritization
• "None of the above" - Include exclusive option that deselects others
• Randomize order - Prevent order bias for long lists
• Avoid "Select all that apply" - Research shows this phrasing reduces response rates
• Mobile considerations - Checkboxes must be large enough (44x44px minimum)

Example Use Cases

• Media consumption: which social media platforms do you use?
• Product features: what features are most important to you?
• Health conditions: which of the following conditions have you been diagnosed with?
• Shopping behaviors: how do you typically research products?

When to Use

• Long list of options (typically 8+ items)
• Options are familiar and searchable (countries, states, cities)
• Screen space is limited
• Single selection required

Best Practices

• Enable search - For lists over 20 items, add type-to-search functionality
• Smart defaults - Pre-select based on geolocation or user profile
• Alphabetical order - Unless there's a logical reason otherwise
• Common items first - For country lists, put most likely options at top
• Avoid for short lists - Radio buttons are faster for 2-7 options

Example Use Cases

• Geographic: country, state/province, city
• Product catalogs: car make/model, product categories
• Time zones, languages, currencies
• Industry classifications, occupation codes

When to Use

• Measuring attitudes, opinions, or satisfaction
• Need ordinal data with equal intervals between points
• Want to calculate mean scores and run statistical tests
• Comparing multiple items on the same scale

Scale Design Options

Best Practices

• Consistent direction - Always put positive on same side (typically right)
• Label all points - Or at minimum, label endpoints and midpoint
• Neutral option - Include "Neither agree nor disagree" or "Don't know" when appropriate
• Avoid acquiescence bias - Mix positively and negatively worded items
• Use numbers - Display numeric values (1-5) for clarity in analysis

Example Use Cases

• Customer satisfaction: "How satisfied are you with our service?"
• Agreement statements: "I would recommend this product to others"
• Frequency: "Never, Rarely, Sometimes, Often, Always"
• Importance: "Not at all important to Extremely important"
• Brand perception: Rate brands on modern/traditional, expensive/affordable

When to Use

• Understanding priorities or preferences
• Need to force trade-offs between options
• Want to identify relative importance
• Typically 3-7 items (more becomes cognitively difficult)

Best Practices

• Limit items - 5 items is optimal, avoid more than 7
• Drag-and-drop - Provide intuitive interface for reordering
• Mobile alternative - Use "select top 3" on mobile instead of full ranking
• Clear instructions - Specify whether 1=most or 1=least important
• Partial ranking - Consider "rank your top 3" instead of ranking all items

Example Use Cases

• Feature prioritization: rank product features by importance
• Brand preference: rank brands in order of preference
• Purchase drivers: what factors most influence your decision?
• Content preferences: rank topics by interest level

When to Use

• Need continuous or fine-grained numeric data
• Visual representation enhances understanding
• Collecting percentages, allocations, or intensity measures
• Engaging presentation for simple questions

Best Practices

• Show current value - Display numeric value as user moves slider
• Appropriate range - Use ranges that make sense (0-100%, $0-$10,000, etc.)
• Step increments - Define reasonable increments (1, 5, 10, etc.)
• Default position - Set meaningful default or require interaction
• Mobile optimization - Ensure touch targets are large enough (44x44px)

Example Use Cases

• Budget allocation: "Allocate $100 across categories"
• Probability estimates: "How likely are you to purchase?" (0-100%)
• Satisfaction: Visual 0-10 scale
• Time estimates: "How many hours per week?"

When to Use Matrix Questions

• Rating multiple items on the same scale
• Comparing similar attributes across items
• Reducing visual clutter from repeated questions
• Creating brand perception maps or feature comparisons

Matrix Types

Best Practices

• Limit rows - Maximum 7-10 items to prevent fatigue
• Similar items only - All rows must logically fit same scale
• Prevent straight-lining - Mix positively/negatively worded items
• Clear labels - Label every column, use concise row text
• Mobile strategy - Break into individual questions or use scrollable design
• Zebra striping - Alternate row colors for easier tracking
• Progress indicator - Show completion within grid for long matrices

Example Use Cases

• Brand tracking: Rate 5 brands on 8 attributes (awareness, quality, value, etc.)
• Employee satisfaction: Rate satisfaction with 10 workplace factors
• Course evaluation: Rate instructor on multiple criteria
• Product comparison: Compare features across 3 products

When to Use

• Exploratory research when possible answers are unknown
• Collecting verbatim feedback, suggestions, or complaints
• Need rich, qualitative data
• Supplementing closed-ended questions with "Why?"

Best Practices

• Use sparingly - Higher cognitive burden leads to lower completion rates
• Clear prompts - Specify what kind of response you want
• Appropriate size - Single line for short answers, text area for long responses
• Character limits - Set minimums (e.g., 50 characters) for substantive responses
• Placeholder text - Show example or format guidance
• Optional vs required - Consider making optional to reduce dropout
• Analysis plan - Have coding framework ready for analysis

Example Use Cases

• Feedback: "What did you like most about your experience?"
• Suggestions: "How could we improve our product?"
• Reasons: "Why did you choose this option?"
• Context: "Please describe the situation in your own words"

When to Use

• Collecting precise numeric data (age, income, quantities)
• Need exact values rather than ranges
• Performing calculations or statistical analysis

Best Practices

• Validation rules - Set min/max values and format requirements
• Input masking - Format as user types (currency, phone, SSN)
• Units - Clearly specify units (dollars, percentages, per week, etc.)
• Reasonable ranges - Warn if outside expected range
• Mobile keyboards - Trigger numeric keyboard on mobile devices
• Privacy consideration - For sensitive data (income), consider ranges instead

Example Use Cases

• Demographics: Age (in years), household size
• Financial: Annual income, typical spending amount
• Behavioral: Number of visits per month, hours spent per week
• Measurements: Height, weight, distance

When to Use

• Scheduling: appointment times, event registration
• Timeline: date of purchase, move-in date, employment start
• Frequency: last visit, next planned purchase

Best Practices

• Date picker - Use calendar widget instead of text entry
• Format clarity - Specify MM/DD/YYYY or DD/MM/YYYY
• Reasonable defaults - Start calendar on relevant date
• Validation - Prevent impossible dates (future birthdates, etc.)
• Time zones - Specify or auto-detect respondent's time zone
• Granularity - Match precision to need (day vs hour vs minute)

Example Use Cases

• Birth date: "What is your date of birth?"
• Purchase timing: "When did you last purchase this product?"
• Scheduling: "What date and time works best for you?"
• Event timeline: "When did this occur?"

When to Use

• Field research requiring location verification
• Site intercept surveys
• Service area mapping
• Compliance monitoring (CAPI interviews)

Implementation Options

• GPS capture - Automatic latitude/longitude from device
• Address entry - Text input with geocoding
• Map selection - Point on interactive map
• Hybrid - GPS verification with manual override

Best Practices

• Privacy notice - Explain why location is needed
• Permission handling - Request location access gracefully
• Fallback options - Allow manual entry if GPS unavailable
• Accuracy thresholds - Require minimum GPS accuracy (e.g., ±50m)
• Data storage - Store coordinates separately from respondent identifiers

Example Use Cases

• CAPI verification: Confirm interviewer at correct address
• Site survey: Document facility locations
• Customer mapping: Where do customers live/work?
• Incident reporting: Location of problem occurrence

When to Use

• Testing visual concepts, packaging, or advertising
• Icon selection or logo preference
• Product identification or recognition
• Visual preference studies

Best Practices

• Consistent size - Display all images at same size
• Loading speed - Optimize images for fast loading
• Randomization - Randomize image order to prevent position bias
• Mobile optimization - Ensure images are clear on small screens
• Zoom capability - Allow tap to enlarge for detail
• Alt text - Provide descriptions for accessibility

Example Use Cases

• Packaging test: Which design do you prefer?
• Ad recall: Which advertisements do you remember seeing?
• Product identification: Select the product you purchased
• Visual appeal: Rate attractiveness of designs

When to Use

• Document collection (receipts, forms, identification)
• Photo evidence (damage claims, site conditions)
• User-generated content studies
• Portfolio or work samples

Best Practices

• File type limits - Specify accepted formats (JPG, PNG, PDF)
• Size limits - Set maximum file size (e.g., 10MB)
• Mobile camera - Enable direct camera capture on mobile
• Preview - Show uploaded file before submission
• Multiple files - Allow batch upload if needed
• Security - Scan uploads for malware
• GDPR compliance - Inform about data storage and processing

Example Use Cases

• Receipt validation: Upload proof of purchase
• Damage assessment: Photos of insurance claim
• Document verification: ID, proof of residence
• User content: Submit your creation

When to Use

• Informed consent for research participation
• Legal agreements or waivers
• Document approval or authorization
• Delivery confirmation

Best Practices

• Canvas size - Provide adequate space for signatures
• Clear button - Allow respondent to redo signature
• Legal requirements - Include date, printed name, witness if needed
• Mobile optimization - Use touch-friendly canvas size
• Storage format - Save as image (PNG) with timestamp metadata
• Consent language - Display full consent text before signature

Example Use Cases

• Research consent: IRB-approved consent forms
• Terms acceptance: Digital signature on agreement
• Delivery confirmation: Proof of receipt
• Authorization: Approve expense or request

When to Use

• Research ethics: Informed consent required by IRB
• GDPR/privacy compliance: Cookie consent, data processing
• Terms of service: Agreement to policies
• Age verification: Confirm eligibility

Best Practices

• Clear language - Use plain language, not legalese
• Scannable format - Break into sections with headings
• Opt-in not pre-checked - GDPR requires active consent
• Granular options - Allow separate consent for different uses
• Easy withdrawal - Explain how to revoke consent
• Record keeping - Log timestamp, IP, consent version

Example Use Cases

• Research participation: "I consent to participate in this study"
• Data processing: "I agree to the processing of my personal data"
• Marketing: "I agree to receive promotional emails"
• Age gate: "I confirm I am 18 years or older"