Foundations
The conceptual and theoretical building blocks of discrete choice experiments - what they are, why they work, and when to use them.
Knowledge Base -> Foundations
SurveyEngine, 09.07.2026
General methodology
Choosing attributes and levels for your DCE - The attributes and levels in a DCE determine the quality of the preference estimates. Poor attribute selection cannot be corrected in analysis.
DCE vs other preference elicitation methods - DCEs, BWS, ranking tasks, and rating scales all measure preferences but produce different outputs. The choice of method depends on what the estimates will be used for.
What is a discrete choice experiment? - A DCE reveals how people make trade-offs and how much they value each attribute of a product, service, or policy.
Health research
Patient preference studies - a practical introduction - Patient preference studies measure treatment trade-offs quantitatively. Regulators, HTA bodies, and payers increasingly require them.
Why use a DCE for health preference research? - Health preference research requires a method that produces defensible trade-off estimates. DCEs are that method.
Transport research
Stated preference vs revealed preference in transport research - What people say vs. what they do.
Stated preference (SP) data captures hypothetical choices, revealed preference (RP) data captures actual behaviour. Both are necessary for robust transport modelling.
Why use a DCE for transport research? - Transport policy analysis requires monetary values for time savings, reliability, and comfort. DCEs are the standard method for estimating them.
Environmental research
Non-market valuation - methods and applications - Or how can you put a price on the environment?
Why use a DCE for environmental valuation? - Environmental goods have value but no market price. DCEs estimate that value rigorously enough for policy use.