When To Use Grid Matrix
Grid Matrix questions are designed for repeated measures that share the same response scale. They are common in academic survey software because social science research often uses batteries of agreement items, trust measures, policy attitudes, satisfaction ratings, and Likert-style scales.
Block Builder: Grid Matrix
Block Builder: Grid / Matrix
Add rows and columns, configure shading, and set response order.
Use a grid when the rows are statements or items and the columns are the same answer options for every row. If each row needs a different scale, split the measures into separate questions. For scale-specific guidance, see Likert Scale Survey Questions.
How It Supports Research Design
- Radio grids collect one categorical scale point per row.
- Slider grids collect numeric ratings for repeated items.
- Row and column order controls help reduce order effects.
- Mobile-friendly layout presents rows in a respondent-friendly format on small screens.
- Column recodes make Likert exports easier to analyze.
Block Builder: Row/Column Order
Options: Grid / Matrix
Randomize row order, column order, or both independently to reduce order effects in repeated-measures batteries.
Configure It In Domandata
Step 1: Open Block Builder. Open the survey and select the block where the battery belongs.
Step 1: Open Block Builder
Survey Editor
No-persist demo using the real builder shell.
Step 2: Add a Grid Matrix question. Choose Grid Matrix from the question type selector.
Step 2: Choose Grid Matrix question type
Block Builder: Question Type
Use the question type selector to switch between multiple choice, slider, grid, ranking, and more.
Step 3: Add rows. Create one row for each statement, item, or repeated measure.
Step 3: Add rows
Block Builder: Political Trust Battery
A Grid Matrix with institutions as rows and a trust scale as columns — each row exports as a separate variable.
Step 4: Add shared columns. Add the response scale, such as Strongly Disagree through Strongly Agree, and use Likert Scale Survey Questions for scale-specific guidance.
Step 4: Add shared columns
Block Builder: Political Trust Battery
A Grid Matrix with institutions as rows and a trust scale as columns — each row exports as a separate variable.
Step 5: Choose the input style. Use radio inputs for categorical scales or slider inputs for numeric repeated ratings.
Step 5: Choose input style
Options: Grid / Matrix
Randomize row order, column order, or both independently to reduce order effects in repeated-measures batteries.
Step 6: Set recodes and order. Configure row order, column order, mobile layout, and recode values before publishing.
Step 6: Set recodes and order
Options: Grid / Matrix
Randomize row order, column order, or both independently to reduce order effects in repeated-measures batteries.
Step 7: Preview mobile layout. Open Preview and check whether the matrix is readable on a small screen.
Step 7: Preview mobile layout
Block BuilderPreviewDeployPreview: Grid Matrix
The equality_battery grid renders as a table on desktop and stacks row-by-row on mobile. Confirm both layouts in Preview before launch.
Preview: Editor and Respondent Side by Side
Grid Matrix: Editor and Preview
See the row and column editor alongside the respondent-facing table.
Data And Export Notes
Grid Matrix exports one response per row, with each row tied to the selected column or slider value. Keep row labels stable after launch so longitudinal or multi-wave social science research data stays comparable.
Block Builder: Row/Column Order
Options: Grid / Matrix
Randomize row order, column order, or both independently to reduce order effects in repeated-measures batteries.