Questionnaire design
The smartvote International questionnaire has been designed by Politools. In order to guarantee a comprehensive, significant, valid and politically neutral questionnaire, the team consulted with a large number of interest groups and civil society organizations, as well as journalists from multiple media organizations. Below you will find a detailed description of the questionnaire design approach.
Questionnaire design (PDF) (example from smartwielen.lu)
Matching
In order to match the answers/political positions of candidates and voters, smartvote International applies an algorithm based on the Euclidean Distance. Below you find a detailed description of the matching-algorithm.
Positional matching methodology (PDF) (example from australia.org)
smartspider and smartmap
In order to calculate positions of candidates and voters on the six axes of the smartspider graphs and within the two-dimensional political space of the smartmap, smartvote International applies a common and simple calculation method. Below you will find a detailed description of those as well as the complete assignment of questions to the dimensions of the smartspider and the smartmap.
smartspider and smartmap methodology (PDF) (example from australia.org)
smartspider
The smartspider is a graphical visualisation of the political profiles of the candidates/parties and user based on their answers to the questionnaire. Each of the eight axes represents a formulated goal in a policy area (e.g., Environmental protection) based on 2-4 questions. Some questions have been assigned to multiple axes and some questions have not been assigned to any of the axes. For each axis a value of between 0 and 100 points can be reached. A value of 100, at the outside edge of the spider, means there is complete agreement with the formulated goal of the corresponding axis. A value of 0, in the middle of the spider, means that there is no agreement with the formulated goal. The more similar the political profiles of a candidate/party and user are, the more their smartspiders will overlap. See the assignment document for more information on the smartspider and which questions are assigned to which axes.
Statement assignment smartspider (example from australia.org)
smartmap
The smartmap is a graphical visualisation of the political profiles of the candidates/parties and user based on their answers to the questionnaire. Each dimension represents ca. 15 questions. Some questions have been assigned to both dimensions and some questions have not been assigned to either. The more similar the political profiles of a candidate/party and user are, the closer the points marking their positions on the smartmap will be. The horizontal axis represents the classic economic left–right dimension, which focuses on the role of government intervention in the economy and social welfare. The vertical axis represents the progressive/liberal-conservative dimension, which focuses on the role of government intervention in society and private life. See the assignment document for more information on the smartmap and which questions are assigned to which dimensions.
Statement assignment smartmap (example from australia.org)
