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Matrix Question Types and Accessibility

  • June 12, 2025
  • 4 replies
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pamelalbeck
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Greetings XM Community,

I’ve got a lengthy survey that I am working on for our Academic Records office.  Most of the questions are ranking on a scale (i.e. Excellent, Good, Fair, Poor, n/a).  I was researching accessibility and applying that to the survey by using a multiple choice drop-down list but am afraid it’s going to result in less completes due to the length.

Matrix carousel looks better and easier to navigate through, but is it truly an accessible question?  From what I read it’s a better choice if using a matrix but still not great.  Some sources said not to use the matrix type at all.

Thoughts or suggestions appreciated, thank you!!

Best answer by rochak_khandelwal

Hi Pamela,

You’re spot on: matrix carousel does look cleaner and may feel smoother to some users, but it’s still far from perfect on the accessibility front. From what I’ve seen (and tested), screen reader support can be inconsistent, especially depending on the device/browser combination. The keyboard navigation is better than traditional matrix, but still not fully intuitive.

If accessibility is a core concern — especially WCAG 2.2AA compliance — breaking the matrix into single-select multiple choice questions (one per row/item) tends to be the safest route. Yes, it adds to survey length, but paired with good sectioning and progress indicators, I’ve found completion rates don’t necessarily take a hit. Also, it improves mobile usability quite a bit.

That said, if you’re locked into matrix for scale consistency or analysis reasons, then carousel is at least a better compromise than standard matrix.

 

— Rochak

Pamela L. Beck

4 replies

rochak_khandelwal
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  • rochak_khandelwal
  • Level 5 ●●●●●
  • 170 replies
  • Answer
  • June 19, 2025

Hi Pamela,

You’re spot on: matrix carousel does look cleaner and may feel smoother to some users, but it’s still far from perfect on the accessibility front. From what I’ve seen (and tested), screen reader support can be inconsistent, especially depending on the device/browser combination. The keyboard navigation is better than traditional matrix, but still not fully intuitive.

If accessibility is a core concern — especially WCAG 2.2AA compliance — breaking the matrix into single-select multiple choice questions (one per row/item) tends to be the safest route. Yes, it adds to survey length, but paired with good sectioning and progress indicators, I’ve found completion rates don’t necessarily take a hit. Also, it improves mobile usability quite a bit.

That said, if you’re locked into matrix for scale consistency or analysis reasons, then carousel is at least a better compromise than standard matrix.

 

— Rochak

pamelalbeck
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  • pamelalbeck
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  • 112 replies
  • June 20, 2025

​@rochak_khandelwal , thank you!  What’s your opinion on the accessibility of using the side by side question type as a work around?

Pamela L. Beck
rochak_khandelwal
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  • rochak_khandelwal
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  • 170 replies
  • June 20, 2025

​@pamelalbeck Honestly, side-by-side feels like a decent visual workaround, but accessibility-wise it still has a lot of the same issues as regular matrix questions. Screen readers don’t always handle them well — especially when there are multiple columns — and keyboard navigation can get messy fast.

If accessibility is a serious priority (which it sounds like it is in your case), I’d still lean toward breaking the items out into individual multiple choice or dropdown questions. It takes up more space, sure, but it’s just way easier to navigate for users relying on assistive tech.

I’ve had to make that trade-off a few times, and in most cases, it’s worth the extra scroll to make sure everyone can complete the survey smoothly.

Hope that helps!

pamelalbeck
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  • pamelalbeck
  • Author
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  • 112 replies
  • June 20, 2025

​@rochak_khandelwal Excellent points, really appreciate your insight on this.

Pamela L. Beck


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