Understanding SUPR-Q: Measurement and Application in UX Research

Philip Burgess
Jan 4
3 min read

User experience (UX) research relies on clear, reliable ways to measure how users feel about a product or service. One tool that has gained attention for its effectiveness is the SUPR-Q, or Standardized User Experience Percentile Rank Questionnaire. This post explains what the SUPR-Q is, how to measure it, and how UX professionals can use it to improve digital experiences.

Eye-level view of a laptop screen displaying a UX survey form — SUPR-Q survey

What is the SUPR-Q?

The SUPR-Q is a concise questionnaire designed to measure users’ perceptions of a website or app’s usability and overall experience. It was developed to provide a standardized way to compare UX across different products and industries. The questionnaire focuses on five key areas:

Usability: How easy is the product to use?
Trust: Do users feel confident and secure using the product?
Appearance: Is the design visually appealing?
Loyalty: Would users return or recommend the product?
Navigation: How simple is it to find what users need?

Each area is covered by specific questions, and users respond on a scale, usually from strongly disagree to strongly agree. The SUPR-Q then calculates a score that reflects the overall user experience quality.

How to Measure SUPR-Q

Measuring SUPR-Q involves a few clear steps:

Select Participants
Choose a representative sample of your target users. The sample size can vary, but 30 to 50 users often provide reliable data.
Administer the Questionnaire
Deliver the SUPR-Q survey after users interact with your product. This can be done online, in-person, or embedded within the product itself.
Collect Responses
Gather the answers to the SUPR-Q questions. Each question uses a Likert scale, typically 1 to 7, where higher scores indicate better experience.
Calculate Scores
Convert raw scores into percentile ranks by comparing them to a benchmark database. This step shows how your product performs relative to others.
Analyze Results
Look at the overall SUPR-Q score and the individual dimension scores. Identify strengths and weaknesses in usability, trust, appearance, loyalty, and navigation.

Using a benchmark is key because it provides context. For example, a SUPR-Q score of 70 means your product ranks better than 70% of products in the database.

Why Use SUPR-Q in UX Research?

The SUPR-Q offers several advantages for UX research:

Standardization

It provides a consistent way to measure UX, making it easier to compare across projects or competitors.

Brevity

The questionnaire is short, usually taking less than five minutes to complete, which encourages higher response rates.

Actionable Insights

By breaking down UX into five dimensions, it helps teams pinpoint specific areas for improvement.

Benchmarking

The percentile rank system allows teams to see how their product stacks up against industry standards.

Practical Applications of SUPR-Q

Improving Website Usability

Imagine a company launching a new e-commerce site. After initial testing, they use the SUPR-Q to gather user feedback. The results show a high score in appearance but a low score in navigation. This insight directs the team to simplify menus and improve search functionality, leading to a better user experience.

Tracking UX Over Time

A mobile app team can use SUPR-Q to track changes after updates. If the trust score drops after adding new features, the team can investigate security concerns or confusing elements introduced in the update.

Comparing Competitors

A UX researcher might use SUPR-Q to compare their product with competitors. If their product scores lower in loyalty, they can focus on features that encourage repeat use, such as personalized recommendations or loyalty programs.