Constant Sum Scale

Quantify and understand customer preferences with constant sum scale

Constant sum question type lets your respondents allocate numerical values across a set of variables. Each numeric entry is then summed, validated and can be displayed to the respondents.

The constant sum question type is used when you want the respondents to weigh off their priorities while making a choice. 

Similar to a ranking order question type, the constant sum prompts the respondents to make mindful choices. 

Let’s see how this works:

1. Click Add New on the question navigation bar to select the question type and select Constant sum from the listed question types.

2. Enter the question and options to rate.

That’s all. You have now configured the Constant Sum question type. Now, let’s learn the two variations currently available for the constant sum question type: Text and Slider. 

Text variation:

It is the default choice and requires the respondent to give the numerical input into a text box.

1. Select the Range box to define the range of numerical values that can be entered. By default or in case of invalid input, the range will be from 0 to 100.

2. Enter the maximum limit for the sum of all the numerical values entered. This is optional and used only when you need to have a fixed limit, like hours of a day.

3. Mention the symbol or the text such as ‘hours’ or ‘Km’, that you want to display along with the responses. The position of the symbol can be a prefix or suffix.

4. Preview and proceed to design.

Slider variation:

Slider variation lets the respondents drag through a slider and rate the choices listed. It has three more additional features to make the responses precise.

1. The range can be divided and displayed using Segments.

2. The decimals option lets the respondent enter a numerical value with up to 2 decimal points as their responses.

3. Initiate ‘Set start positions’ to let your respondents start answering with a default rating selected for them. They can change the response if they want to.

4. Preview and proceed to design.

Note: All the other customizable features available such as logic, description etc.. are applicable to Constant sum question types too.

Use case:

You run a construction company and want to learn how balanced your employees’ time management is in your next employee engagement survey. 

After creating an appropriate question and options to cover different aspects of their job. Customize the feature to suit your requirements.

1. Keep the range between 0 to 10 and a total to 10 to suit the work hours.
2. Divide the range into 5 segments, since the average time allocated for one activity is 2 hours.
3. Since you want an exact value of time spent, you can allow two decimal points and add ‘hours’ as a suffix.

Congratulations on configuring one of the interesting question types in SurveySparrow.