Best–Worst study · MaxDiff

What matters most?

Best–Worst ranks a long list by importance, fast. Participants see a few options at a time and tap the most and least important. You get a clean 0 to 100 ranking of the whole list, with a line that shows the must-haves.

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How it works

From a long list to a clear order.

1

Add your items

Type your list, even 20 or 30 features, messages or ideas. Or bring in the groups from a card sort in one click, named and described by Graham.

2

Participants pick

Each screen shows a handful of options. One tap for the most important, one for the least. A few quick screens, built for the phone in their hand.

3

Read the ranking

Every item lands on a 0 to 100 ranking, with a must-have line, a confidence range on every score, and Graham's report.

What your participants see

A few options. Two quick taps.

Most people do this on their phone, and the format is made for it. Each screen shows a small set, and two taps, most and least, is all it takes. That simple forced choice, repeated over a handful of screens, is what pulls a long list into a reliable order.

  • Built for the phone in their hand, where most people are
  • A few minutes to finish, so completion rates hold up
  • No account, and an optional screener to reach the right people
3 of 12 38% Which matters most? Same-day delivery Most Free returns Loyalty points Gift wrapping Least Live chat support Now tap the one that matters least.
A small set at a time, most and least, on the phone in their hand.
What you see

One clear ranking, with a must-have line.

Every item gets a 0 to 100 importance score, worked out from all the best and worst picks. The must-have line shows where the priorities stop, so you can see at a glance what to focus on and where it is safe to cut.

  • A ranking you can act on, straight into a roadmap
  • A confidence range on every score, so you know what is solid
  • Quality checks and segments, so you can trust and slice the data
Importance ranking 0–100 Same-day delivery 84 Easy returns 76 Live chat support 72 Loyalty points 58 Gift wrapping 44 Carbon-neutral shipping 33 Multi-currency pricing 25 MUST-HAVE LINE
Above the line, the must-haves. Below, where you can cut.
Graham

Graham writes the report

When the responses are in, Graham turns the ranking into a client-ready insight report, so you can share a clear decision with the data behind it.

  • The headline story, the must-haves, and clear next steps
  • An honest note on data quality, so you know what to trust
  • Download as Word, PowerPoint, PDF or CSV
Better together

Build a Best–Worst from a card sort.

Already run a card sort? Turn its final groups into a Best–Worst study in one click. Graham brings the group names and descriptions across, so a long list of raw needs becomes a ranked shortlist of themes, without retyping a thing.

See card sorting
Card sort groups Stays dry Chafe-free Fit and sizing Durability Best–Worst items Stays dry Chafe-free Fit and sizing Durability
One click carries the groups across, named and described.
When to use Best–Worst

Reach for Best–Worst when the list is long.

Use it to rank features, messages, benefits or ideas by what matters most, especially when the list is too long to compare two at a time. If you are still discovering how customers group a messy list, start with a card sort, then rank the themes here. If you also need to know how well each need is served today, use pairwise and its opportunity matrix. And if the list you are ranking is a navigation rather than a set of needs, test it with Findability instead.

Questions

MaxDiff and Best-Worst, answered.

What is MaxDiff, or Best-Worst scaling?

MaxDiff shows people a few options at a time and asks for the most and the least important. Repeated over several short screens, those forced choices produce a ranking of the whole list on a 0 to 100 scale. Best-Worst is the same method. MaxDiff is the name it usually goes by in market research.

Why is MaxDiff better than a rating scale?

Rating scales let everyone say that everything is important, and different people use the same scale in different ways. Forcing a most and a least removes both problems at once, so the results discriminate properly and compare fairly across respondents.

How many items can I rank?

Long lists are the point. Twenty or thirty items is comfortable, which is exactly the range where a rating scale stops telling you anything useful.

How long does it take a participant?

A handful of screens with two taps each, designed for a phone. That is why a long list stays finishable rather than being abandoned halfway through.

What is the must-have line?

A line drawn through the ranking that separates the items your audience genuinely will not do without from the ones that are merely nice to have. It turns a ranked list into a decision.

Can I build a Best-Worst study from a card sort?

Yes, in one click, with the sort's group names and descriptions carried across as the items to rank.

Rank your list, free

Set up a Best–Worst study today. Graham will help you get going.

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