Randomization blocks but keep one block in fixed order | XM Community
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Dear Qualtrics Community,

I have 22 blocks of questions. I would like to randomize the order of 20 of the 22 blocks, but also keep two specific blocks, namely Block 1 and Block 2, in a fixed position within the sequence. For example I want Block 1 to be presented as the 5th block and Block 2 as the 10th block, while the other blocks being randomized.

I would greatly appreciate any guidance or suggestions on how to accomplish this in Qualtrics. Is there a feature or functionality that allows for such customization?

Thank you very much in advance!

Try below steps, I think this will definitely work.

  • Initialize 20 embedded fields at the beginning of survey flow and set value as 0 for each field. E.g. embedded fields name as ED_Block1=0, E_Block2=0 etc.
  • Add 1 randomizer at survey flow and put all 20 blocks (which you want to randomize) under it. Set Randomly present 4 and evenly present. Move each block and its embedded field under their respective group and set embedded data value as 1. so, any 4 blocks will appear here. same as below SS.
  • Then add Block 1 outside the randomizer, so it will appear at 5th position.

  • Then duplicate above randomizer, keep the setting as it is (Randomly present 4 and evenly present) and move it after Block1 and apply branch logic on each group. e.g, branch logic for Group: Block 1 is ED_Block1 is not equal to 1. same as below SS.

  • Then add Block 2 outside the randomizer, so it will appear at 10th position.
  • Then Duplicate the 2nd randomizer and move it after Block 2.
  • The change its setting as Randomly present 12 and evenly present.

Take a run, it will work. Please make sure to test it properly before going live. 


Hi Arun,

I wanted to express my gratitude for your valuable assistance and the detailed steps and instructions you provided! However, after testing your suggestion, I still encountered repeated blocks. Could you please help troubleshoot? I would greatly appreciate it!

In the test survey, I simplified the problem and had 11 blocks: 10 randomized blocks and Block 5 in a fixed position.

  • Step 1: I set a randomizer and placed all 10 blocks beneath it, along with their respective embedded data.
  • Step 2: Placed Block 5 beneath, but in parallel with the first randomizer (see highlighted block below)
  • Step 3: Added another randomizer under Block 5, and placed 10 block and their branches under it, as shown above. 

However, I still see many blocks appear repeatedly, and block 5 is not placed as the 5th block. Is there any issue that you can tell from my implementation?

 

Thank you very much!


Have you initialized the embedded fields value as 0 at the beginning of survey flow and hope you are not doing back and forth in your run. make sure randomizer cannot work properly using back button. test it with one complete run for one scenario. then check next scenario in next run.

 

Also do one thing, apply the below branch logic Embeddedfield=0 instead of not equal to 1 on all groups in all three randomizers. refer below SS.

 

 


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