What is the Variable Selector Question?
Variable Selector allows us to quickly create very large engagements for multiple groups of respondents. This is one of the more complex features of Engage, so let's try to understand this feature with an example.
Imagine that you have an Engagement with multiple iterations of the same question.
Let's say that the main question is, "Please fill in the Action dots question", and you need to send this question to three groups of people. Group A, Group B, and Group C. The main question would remain the same, however for each group, imagine that you need to change the image that is attached to the main question. This is the perfect scenario to use the "Variable Selector” function, as it will allows us to create;
--> multiple iterations i.e. different images for Group A, B, and C,
--> for the same main question i.e. "Please fill the Action dots question".
Advantages of Variable Selector
Other than allowing us to create engagements with multiple iterations very quickly, the Variable Selector also enables us to view the results for each iteration from a single screen. This makes interpreting the responses of the engagement convenient.
You can view the responses for all the variables (and all the question types within those variables) from the results dashboard.
How to create a Variable Selector Question?
1. Name your Engagement and Add a Question
Create a new engagement and give it a name. You can also add a description if you want more detail. You can always change this later.
Next, we will add our question! Click on the “Add Question” button.
2. Select your Question Type
Click the “Variable Selector” button.
3. Creating Variables
First, create a title for this question (Bubble #1). This is the main question that will remain constant for each variable.
Second step is to click the “Add Variable” button to create a new variable. These variables are the various iterations of the main question. For example, one variable each for Group A, B and C.
Once the variables are created, you can change their names as per bubble 3 in the image above.
Now we can add another question-type to these variables.
4. Add Questions to your Variables
Click the "Add question" button again to add a question for your variables. For our example, we have selected the Action dots question.
Once you add a question, it is automatically added to all variables. From our example above, the Action dots question is now connected to the 3 Groups A, B and C.
The Structure of the Variable Selector
Any question placed after the Variable Selector are connected to those variables. For example. in the image above, Question 2. (i.e. Action dots question) is automatically associated with all three variables i.e. Groups A. B and C.
Additional questions placed after the Variable Selector will also be dependent
5. Completing Dependent Variable Questions
#1: go to the Preview area and select the variable dropdown..
#2: Click on the "Choose File" button as per bubble 2 to select the image for the Action dots question and create the Action dots question. (If you don't know how to create an Action dots question, we have a different article dedicated to that).
#3 Now repeat these steps (i.e. for creating the Action dots question), for all the remaining variables (i.e. Group B, and C in our case).
Finally, click the 'Update' button and you're done.
6. Activating your Engagement
Go to the "Share" tab, click on "Mark as active", and copy the link by clicking the button near bubble 3. Now paste the link in new tab and hit go.
7. What does the Variable Selector Question look like?
The respondent will first select the variable (which in our case are Group A, Group B, and Group C) using the dropdown menu, then click Next to proceed.
Below is what the Action dots question would look like. The respondent would respond to this question and then click Next to proceed or submit the engagement.
