In Max Diff can I have factors and levels, or just a set of attributes.

Question

Trying to understand what I can use Max Diff for.  In Max Diff is it possible to have Factors and Levels in your investigation.  Something like 4 levels of a Cost factor, 5 levels of a Taste factor, and 3 levels of a Form factor.  And then evaluate which is more important Cost, Taste or Form?  Or can I only compare amount a list of attributes.  A is more important than B and so on.

Hopefully this question is clear, this is all new to me.

Thanks

Lane

Answer 1

MaxDiff is used when you have an independent set of items, i.e. I have 20 ice cream flavors and I want to know what are the best ones.  You can put things related to taste, cost, presentation, etc. into a MaxDiff and figure out how each item relates to the other one (i.e. great taste is more important than a fancy plate).  We never ask any sort of combined questions, though, so it's not appropriate in MaxDiff to combine item scores together (i.e. a chocolate and vanilla cone is better than a strawberry and mango cone).  You can additionally use the output of a MaxDiff into TURF analysis like our MaxDiff Analyzer to figure out what bundle of items "reaches" the greatest number of people.

Conjoint analysis is probably the better tool when you have a multi-piece product or service, i.e. Product A costs a lot but taste great and looks good, versus Product B which is cheaper but doesn't taste/look as good.