Carousel Layout for Matrix Questions

Carousel Layout is a new display mode for Matrix Questions on QuestionPro that replaces the traditional static grid with a focused, one-row-at-a-time card experience. Instead of presenting all rows and columns at once, respondents see each matrix row as an individual card — reducing cognitive load, minimizing straight-lining, and delivering a consistent experience across desktop and mobile devices.

Carousel Layout is a toggle within your existing Matrix Question settings. No survey rebuild or new question type is required.

When Carousel Layout is enabled on a Matrix Question, each row of the matrix is presented as a separate card. Respondents answer the current card and then advance to the next — either automatically (for Radio questions) or using the navigation arrow (for Checkbox questions). A progress bar shows respondents how far through the matrix they are, so they always know what to expect.

All responses are recorded against the same underlying matrix row and column structure as the standard grid. Your existing reporting, data exports, and logic remain completely unaffected.

Carousel Layout is available within the settings panel of any Matrix Question:

• Survey Builder → Add Question → Multi-Point Scales or Mult-select → Settings → Cards Carousel

Step 1: Open your survey in Draft mode and click on the Matrix Question you want to update.

Step 2: Click on the settings

Step 3: Click Cards Carousel toggle to enable the layout.

Step 4: After switching to Carousel layout, click on the preview option inside the kebab menu.

Step 5: Review the question in Preview mode to ensure the carousel layout is working as expected and that each matrix row is displayed as a separate card.

Step 6: If you have multi-select question, you can review those as well before publishing tour survey

• Horizontal Layout
  Displays answer options in a horizontal row beneath each card. Suited for shorter scale labels (such as "Strongly Agree" to "Strongly Disagree") where options fit comfortably side by side.

  Within Horizontal Layout, choose between two card styles:

  • Compact — Optimised for short answer labels. Displays multiple options efficiently in a row. Best for standard Likert scales.
  • Full Width — Designed for longer, descriptive answer options that require more space to display clearly.
  
• Vertical Layout
  Displays answer options in a vertical stacked list beneath each card. Recommended for mobile-first audiences and surveys where respondents should not need to scroll horizontally.

  The column count is configurable:

  • 1 Column — Answer options appear in a single stacked vertical list. Recommended for mobile respondents.
  • 2+ Columns — Options are arranged into a balanced grid. Useful for larger answer sets on desktop.
  

Carousel Layout currently supports the following answer types:

• Radio (single-select) — Auto-advance moves respondents to the next card immediately after a selection is made.
• Checkbox (multi-select) — Respondents select one or more options and then use the navigation arrow to advance to the next card.

Dropdown, Select List, Slider, and Text Input answer types are not supported in Carousel Layout and will appear greyed out in the Answer Type panel when Carousel is enabled.

Carousel Layout is most effective when:

• A matrix question has five or more rows and straight-lining is a concern.
• A significant proportion of respondents are expected to complete the survey on mobile.
• The research is high-stakes and data quality is a priority.
• Respondents include non-native speakers, users with cognitive differences, or people on low-end devices.
• Answer options include descriptive text that is difficult to read within a standard grid column.
• The survey has historically shown high abandonment rates on matrix question pages.

• The matrix question has two or three rows and cognitive load is not a concern.
• The audience is exclusively desktop-based with no mobile respondents.
• The research context requires respondents to compare all rows simultaneously before answering — for example, ranking tasks that depend on seeing the full set at once.
• The researcher needs to match the exact format of a previous survey wave for longitudinal consistency.

No. Carousel Layout is a display change only. Responses are recorded against the same matrix row and column structure as the standard grid. Existing reporting and data exports are unaffected.

Yes. Carousel Layout is a toggle in the Matrix Question settings panel. It can be enabled or disabled on any existing matrix question at any time without changing the question structure, answer options, or logic.

No. All existing logic — skip logic, show/hide conditions, and branching — continues to function as configured. Carousel Layout only changes how the matrix is displayed to the respondent.

Auto-advance applies to Radio (single-select) questions, where selecting one option completes the row and advances the card automatically. For Checkbox questions, respondents select their choices and use the navigation arrow to proceed to the next card.

Both styles apply to the Horizontal layout. Compact is optimised for short answer labels (such as scale points like "Strongly Agree") and displays multiple options efficiently in a row. Full Width is designed for longer, descriptive answer options that need more space to display clearly.

Setting the column count to 1 displays answer options in a single stacked vertical list — the recommended setting for mobile-first audiences. Setting the column count to 2 or more automatically reorganises options into a balanced grid, which is useful for larger answer sets on desktop.

Yes. The card-based format with clear navigation controls and a progress indicator is designed to be more navigable than a standard matrix grid for respondents using screen readers or keyboard navigation.

Carousel Layout is included at no additional cost as part of the Matrix Question feature set. No separate activation or plan upgrade is required. The feature is available across QuestionPro Research and CX plans that support Matrix Questions.

Yes. Each card in the Carousel can display an image alongside the row label. Images are added through the matrix question's row settings in the survey builder, and display within the card frame during the respondent experience.