Attribute Importance Calculator
Calculate the relative weight of decision factors. Uses 'Constant Sum Scaling' to force trade-offs and reveal what truly drives customer choice.
Allocation (Total: 100)
Relative Importance (%)
The Hierarchy of Decision
What actually moves the needle?
The Winner
Price is the primary driver (40 points). Win here, or lose the sale.
The Drop-off
Look for where the bars drop significantly. Attributes below this line are likely 'Nice to Haves' or hygiene factors.
Strategic Focus
Don't try to be best at everything. Be best at the top 1 or 2 attributes.
Execution Steps
List the key attributes involved in the purchase decision (Price, Speed, Quality, etc.).
Assign points to each attribute out of a total of 100 based on survey data or team consensus.
Ensure the total equals 100%.
The chart visualizes the hierarchy of needs, identifying the critical drivers vs hygiene factors.
Pro Strategy
- If 'Price' scores >50%, you are in a commodity market. You must differentiate or lower costs.
- Focus your marketing messaging on the top 2 attributes. Ignore the bottom half.
- Use this internally to align your product team on what actually matters to the customer (kill features nobody cares about).
Core Concepts
Constant Sum Scale
A survey method where respondents are given a fixed number of points (usually 100) to allocate across options. This forces trade-offs, unlike simple rating scales.
Derived Importance
The statistical weight of an attribute in predicting the final choice. Often different from what customers *say* is important.
Hygiene Factors
Attributes that must be present but don't drive choice (e.g., Safety in cars). They often score low in importance until they are missing.
What is Attribute Importance Calculator?
This tool simulates a Constant Sum Scale analysis. It provides a ratio-level measurement of importance, allowing you to say 'Price is twice as important as Speed', which is impossible with Likert scales. It reveals the relative value of trade-offs.
Best For
- • Designing marketing messaging hierarchy.
- • Prioritizing feature development.
- • Understanding brand positioning.
Limitations
- • Cognitive load is high for respondents if there are >7 attributes.
- • Does not measure interaction effects.
Alternative Methods
MaxDiff
Better for long lists of attributes.
Conjoint
Better for specific feature levels.
Industry Applications
See how this methodology generates real revenue uplift in different sectors.
Laptop Buying Guide
Confused messaging.
Survey showed Performance (40pts) and Weight (30pts) outweighed Battery (10pts).
Hotel Chain
Spending too much on amenities.
Found 'Cleanliness' and 'Location' were 80% of decision. 'Pool' was 5%.
B2B Software
Winning against incumbents.
Found 'Ease of Use' was the #1 pain point with incumbent. 'Features' was #5.