Matrix Grid questions really went out of fashion, dropping from 43% of all surveys in 2015 to barely 19% a few years later.

There are a couple of reasons for this (eg. growth of mobile phones), but an underappreciated factor is 𝙨𝙩𝙧𝙖𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙩𝙡𝙞𝙣𝙞𝙣𝙜.

Every guide online says straightlining (giving every option the same score on a matrix/table question) is caused by respondent laziness, fraud, or burnout — that's just completely false and shifts all the blame away from researchers.

People stopped using matrix grids because they prevent respondents from considering trade-offs, which is something you definitely don’t want to prevent.

I published a new guide today to set the record straight on straightlining:

• Why does straightlining happen

• When is straightlining genuine

• How to avoid straightlining risk entirely

Hope you give it a read: fullstackresearcher.sub… :)