Highlighting changed attributes in choice experiments
Highlighting table rows that are the same or different in a choice experiment to draw respondent attention.
A step-by-step interactive tutorial on highlighting changed attributes in choice experiments in SurveyEngine. Preview the live tutorial, then download and upload it to your account to examine the construction.
Ben White, 08.07.2026
What this tutorial covers
Highlighting table rows that are the same or different in a choice experiment to draw respondent attention.
Each page of the tutorial demonstrates a specific technique. Work through it as a respondent first, then open the editor to see how it was built.
What you will learn
After completing this tutorial you will be able to implement highlighting changed attributes in choice experiments in your own SurveyEngine surveys.
Download the tutorial ZIP and upload it to your account to use it as a starting point or template for your own work.
TLDR Quick links
Step-by-step walkthrough
Step 1: Understand why highlighting helps. Respondents process choice tasks faster and more accurately when attribute differences are visually highlighted.
Step 2: Enable attribute highlighting. In the choice experiment settings, enable the highlight changed attributes option.
Step 3: Configure highlight colours. Set the colour used to highlight attributes that differ from the reference alternative or between alternatives.
Step 4: Set highlighting conditions. Choose whether to highlight attributes that are different from the status quo, or that differ across all alternatives.
Step 5: Test cognitive load. Preview the survey and check that highlighting genuinely reduces visual complexity rather than adding clutter.
Try the live tutorial
The live tutorial is a working SurveyEngine survey. Click through it as a respondent to see the finished result.
Then download the tutorial ZIP file and upload it to your SurveyEngine account to examine how it was built.
Preview the live tutorial or download the ZIP file to load it into your account.
References
Ready to try it? Open a free SurveyEngine account, download the tutorial ZIP and upload it to your account.
Or Contact us at support@surveyengine.com — we're glad to help.