How to Add Priority Ranking to a Survey

Earlier we discussed the idea of priority ranking, and how it is a quick and useful way to gain customer feedback on potential product improvements and features. Priority ranking involves just that – taking a list of ideas/cards/features, etc., and ranking them in terms of priority based on what the customer prefers most. Traditionally this was done with cards.

However, it can easily be done with survey software, if you choose to use an online method of data collection. Using survey software may also help with analysis, reduce user error, and make ranking priorities easier on the customer.

Priority ranking can be added to a survey in several different ways. The first way is to list out all of the features on one page in a table, with the top bar listing off numbers that correspond with priority. The customer will then choose a number for the priority it represents.

You can put parameters in place that prevent the user from selecting a number more than once and notifying them if they accidentally select a number twice. That will allow them to see all of the options on one page for easier ranking. You can also provide the option to have them give priority numerically, giving each rating a 1, 2, 3, 4, etc.

Another option is slower, and needs to be limited to fewer features, but may reduce confusion over selecting these options. You can have them select from a list the feature that is given top priority, then have them click next and choose the one given the next most priority, and so on, with the answer they selected excluded. This method also may take longer to program, making the former option more preferable.

Priority rankings are an interesting and useful way to get data back on the value a feature has on to your customers. Adding them to surveys is also fairly easy, and while it may represent a lot of work for the customer (especially if you have a lot of features), it can often fit on one page, which may reduce your survey drop-out rate. Also, scoring of these rankings is much easier and is far less likely to have any user error. If you are considering performing some market research on what features can benefit your product the most, priority ranking may be a useful tool, and if you want to perform that type of research, adding it to an online survey may be in your best interests.