MaxDiff is a market research technique that evaluates preferences among a large number of features or benefits. It works by presenting respondents with groups of 3-6 items and asking them to select the most and least important. It provides stronger discrimination than other techniques. Usage of MaxDiff has grown significantly in recent years. Martec frequently combines MaxDiff exercises with importance-satisfaction matrices to identify high priority unmet customer needs and opportunities.

1. General Overview
MaxDiff – Maximum Difference Scaling
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2. MaxDiff is a fast-growing technique with several unique benefits:
•
Simple & straightforward - easier to use
(for the researcher, respondent, and
client)
•
Applicable to a wider variety of research
situations than conjoint.
•
Evaluates preference among a large group
of features or benefits
•
Provides stronger discrimination among
possible items/benefits
•
Choice-based technique – rather than
expressing a strength of preference
Growth in MaxDiff Usage
Percent of Sawtooth Software
Users Employing MaxDiff
100%
75%
50%
32%
37%
24%
18%
25%
8%
0%
2005
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2006
2007
2008
2009
2
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3. How does MaxDiff work?
Respondents complete a series of exercises – comprised of 10 to 15 comparative questions.
In each question they are presented with 3 – 6 items (features, benefits, etc.) at a time and asked
to choose which is the most important and the least important to them.
• Questions also can include preference, satisfaction, etc…depending on client needs
Please consider how important different features are when selecting a _______ supplier.
Considering only the features below, which is the Most Important and which is the Least Important?
Most
Important
Least
Important
⃝
Lowest prices
⃝
⃝
Highest quality standards
⃝
⃝
Sales rep availability
⃝
⃝
On-time delivery
⃝
Items are rotated throughout the exercise to ensure balance and consistency.
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4. When should you use/consider MaxDiff?
Product
Development
New
Product/Concept
Testing
Brand Preference
MaxDiff
Packaging
Design
Promotions
Testing
Needs-Based
Segmentation
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Channel/Store
Preference
Message Testing
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5. Martec frequently combines two separate MaxDiff exercises to provide
deeper insight into customer needs.
Unmet Needs:
Immediate opportunities
Continued Emphasis:
Maintain level of performance
Low Priority:
De-emphasize
Low Value:
Possibly reallocate resources
Low --- High
Relative Importance
The resulting MaxDiff scores are plotted on the Importance – Satisfaction Assessment Matrix:
• Customers view benefit as relatively important vis-a-vis presented options (Y – axis)
• Customers are relatively dissatisfied with their current ability to achieve this benefit (X –
axis)
Satisfaction Scale
Low ---- High
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6. MaxDiff exercises yield high priority unmet needs.
5
Unmet Needs
Continued Emphasis
1.
2.
12
13
7
6
2
Service Attribute 1
Service Attribute 2
Service Attribute 3
9.
8
Product Attribute 5
8.
1
5.
7.
3
Product Attribute 4
6.
11
Product Attribute 3
4.
4
Product Attribute 2
3.
10
Product Attribute 1
Value Attribute 1
10. Value Attribute 2
11. Value Attribute 3
12. Logistics Attribute 1
13. Logistics Attribute 2
9
Low Priority
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Low Value
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7. In addition, MaxDiff scores can be plotted via an “Opportunity Analysis”.
Opportunity Analysis – New Product A
11.7
11.2
How to read this chart:
• The longer the line, the larger the gap between
“Importance” and “Satisfaction”
• If the “Opportunity” point is at the top of the
line, importance is greater than satisfaction; if the
“Opportunity” point is the bottom of the line, satisfaction
is greater than importance
10.9
6.3
6.0
4.4
5.5
5.3
4.9
4.8
4.5
4.5
4.5
Product Product Product Product Product Service Service Service
Value
Value
Value Logistics Logistics
Attribute Attribute Attribute Attribute Attribute Attribute Attribute Attribute Attribute Attribute Attribute Attribute Attribute
1
2
3
4
5
1
2
3
1
2
3
1
2
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8. Please contact us for more detailed information regarding MaxDiff and how it
might benefit your organization.
martecgroup.com
1.888.811.5755
Detroit
27777 Franklin Road
Suite 1600
Southfield, Michigan 48034
Chicago
105 West Adams Street
Suite 2900
Chicago, Illinois 60603
Shanghai
121 Yanping Road
Sanhe Plaza 7D
Shanghai 200042
China
Beijing
C203, Lufthansa Centre Office
Building
No. 50, Liangmaqiao Road
Chaoyang District
Beijing 100125
China
The Martec Group
Green Bay
1445 North Road
Green Bay, WI/ 54313
8
Europe
Berliner Strasse 219
63067
Offenbach/Main
Germany
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