MaxDiff tests are helpful when comparing a long list of alternatives. You can add between 7 and 200 alternatives for respondents to compare in sets of three, four, or five alternatives per screen.

Building a MaxDiff

1. Click the MaxDiff icon in the left sidebar, drag it into place, or select MaxDiff from the New Question Menu at the bottom of the Survey Editor.
2. Type or paste question text into the Question field.
3. Type or paste between 7 and 200 items into the Alternatives to Compare fields.
4. Click the dropdown to the right of the Question field to select Aggregate or HB mode.
5. Click the Reorder dropdown to determine whether respondents will Reorder items, select Best/Worst (text) from each set, or select best and worst from an Image Grid.
6. Click the second dropdown to determine how many items respondents will see per screen.

⚠️ Note: Depending on the mode, total number of items, and items presented per screen, the number of questions used per MaxDiff test will update below the question.

Selecting Methodology

aytm's Advanced MaxDiff has two modes to choose from: Aggregate (formerly Express) and HB (Hierarchical Bayesian). If you'd like to use the TURF simulator with a MaxDiff, you'll need to select the HB option.

• Aggregate — provides aggregate data using the Logit Regression model.
• HB — provides individual utility scores using the Hierarchical Bayesian model.

Best Practices in MaxDiff

Since ranking a long list of alternatives can be a repetitive task, it's best to let respondents know what to expect. Consider adding an Instruction Text question before the MaxDiff test to let respondents know what's coming and approximately how long it will take, especially if the experiment takes 6 or more questions.