Hi, I want to question respondents on their preference for a set of characteristics. For example:

	car 1	car 2	car 3
color	blue	black	yellow
brand	Mercedes	Renault	Audi
engine	petrol	diesel	electric
What car do you prefer	O	O	O

example


I tried to use an array-question, but that doesn't work exactly. Anybody an idea how to do this?

On top of mind I could think of two solutions:

i ) use array question but substitute the buttons on the 3 first rows with text, this could be done with some custom javascript.

ii ) create a table with HTML and use a list question and use css to place it underneath your columns.

I am sure there are more solutions to this, so lets hear what other people have to say!

You could use JavaScript to insert new rows into the <thead> element of the array table but if using version 2.50 or newer this won't work on mobile devices (the table is converted to block elements).

I would insert your description table in the question text.

Thanks for the suggestions. I made a radio-button question and put the description table in the question text. Made the buttons horizontal with the columns-option. That works, but not for small screens, when the buttons are displayed vertical. Any thoughts? (using version 2.5)

arrays can't display fine on small screens: or they display a horizontal scroll bar (people hates it), or we must collapse them via no-more-table method (the method we use in default template). Of course, you can still disable the no-more-table behaviour in the css.

In general, I would recommend you to not use array anymore. Most of your survey participants will use a smartphone today. You must accept that the old pattern of the paper printed survey is no more relevant.

Also, I don't know the goal of your questionnaire, but the logic of your system seems weird to me: what are you comparing exactly? Car1, car2, car3? But they are completely different for each user... so maybe you should just say in the question that Car1 should be their favourite combination of {color, brand, engine}, car2 their 2nd choice, etc.

You are completely right Louis, arrays does not fit a smartphone.
However, you could check their layout and prompt a message for them to turn their phone horizontal for a better experience, most of the standard arrays with a few columns (5-6) should then fit.

asking a user to turn his phone horizontally is like using a scrollbar: some people will do it, most people will just leave the survey.

Think about cameras: so many people during years were complaining "hey, turn your phone when recording a movie" (eg: www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bt9zSfinwFA ). Then came Periscope who understood that new technologies imply new usages, and made vertical videos a new standard.

People are lazy, and most of the time, they don't enjoy that much to answer a survey. You can for sure ask them to use a scroll bar or to turn their smartphones, but it will cost you a higher bounce rate.

In 2017, think mobile first:
de.onpage.org/wiki/Mobile_First
www.verticalmeasures.com/content-strateg...ing-strategy-051916/
www.uxpin.com/studio/blog/a-hands-on-gui...mobile-first-design/

also: www.wsj.com/articles/watch-video-on-your...ertically-1473178832

Regarding the goal of the questionnaire, this is a conjoint-analysis. We are trying to use LimeSurvey as an alternative for tools as Sawtooth ( www.sawtoothsoftware.com/products/conjoint-choice-analysis ). Results will be analysed with R.

I see. We have someone here building a conjoint-analysis for LimeSurvey, using JS solutions. He'll be back next week. I'll transfer him this post so he'll can give some feedback.

For what I see here:
www.sawtoothsoftware.com/products/conjoi...e-survey-restaurants

In the Adaptive Choice (ACBC): they first ask people to configure their products:



then, they display a different question, where they summarise the built products and ask to classify them:



You can do that in LimeSurvey using the Expression Manager to build the 2nd question.
see:
www.limesurvey.org/manual/Expression_Manager

Yes, we can conduct a conjoint analysis and I am familair with EM. The question remains how to set up the second question in LS so it will at least be workable on smaller screens (for our population scrolling sideways would not be a big issue).

Thank you for forwarding this question, I'm very interested in the work of your contact.

problem of array display on small screen is not specific to LimeSurvey. Responsiveness of arrays is one of the most debated problems of the last years, because it doesn't have any perfect solution. You can read about it here:

sitesforprofit.com/responsive-table-plugins-and-patterns
css-tricks.com/responsive-data-tables/
elvery.net/demo/responsive-tables/

In Default template, we integrated the no-more-table solution which is by far the most convenient one. You can disable it to come back to the scroll bar solution (or the horizontal flip).

So, IMHO, the best solution is to not use array at all. Each row of an array can be a single question.

Programmers always push designers to adapt to new technologies. It took ages for the first generation of webdesigners to accept that their print references were outdated (dividing a design in an array, using point or pixels to define size, etc). I guess it will be the same for survey designers. For now, for what I've seen, most survey designers refuse to abandon their old habit of using arrays everywhere. IMHO, this old way of doing is no more relevant, the sooner you'll accept it, the better.