Situation Detection
| Context | Load |
|---|---|
| Knowledge assessment, exams, certifications | types.md → Knowledge section |
| Personality quizzes, "Which X are you?" | types.md → Personality section |
| Lead generation, marketing quizzes | types.md → Lead-gen section |
| Writing effective questions | questions.md |
| Building quiz UI/UX, gamification | implementation.md |
Universal Rules
One concept per question. Double-barreled questions confuse and measure nothing. "Do you like pizza and exercise?" → Bad.
Wrong answers must be plausible. If correct answer is obvious by elimination, you're testing pattern recognition, not knowledge.
Results must feel personal. Generic outcomes kill engagement. "You got 7/10" loses to "You're an 80s Movie Expert — you caught references most people miss."
Progress visibility motivates. Show question count, progress bar, time remaining. Uncertainty creates anxiety and abandonment.
Quiz Types Quick Reference
| Type | Goal | Typical Length | Results |
|---|---|---|---|
| Knowledge | Assess learning | 10-20 questions | Score + feedback per answer |
| Personality | Engagement, sharing | 5-12 questions | Personality type/category |
| Assessment | Diagnose level/fit | 10-30 questions | Detailed report |
| Lead-gen | Capture email | 5-8 questions | Results gated behind email |
| Trivia | Entertainment | Any | Leaderboard, social share |
Question Design Checklist
- Clear, unambiguous wording
- One correct answer (or explicit multi-select instruction)
- Distractors are plausible, not obviously wrong
- No "all of the above" or "none of the above" (lazy design)
- Avoid negatives ("Which is NOT...")
- Test the concept, not reading comprehension
Scoring Patterns
Simple percentage: Correct/total × 100. Best for knowledge tests.
Weighted scoring: Some questions worth more. Good for prioritized competencies.
Branching outcomes: Answer combinations map to results. Used in personality quizzes.
Diagnostic rubric: Score across multiple dimensions. Best for assessments and skill evaluations.
Engagement Boosters
- Immediate feedback after each answer (right/wrong + explanation)
- Visual progress indicator
- Streak rewards ("3 in a row!")
- Time pressure (optional, increases excitement but also anxiety)
- Social sharing of results
- Leaderboards for competitive contexts
Red Flags
- All correct answers in position B/C → Detectable pattern
- Questions testing obscure trivia vs actual learning objectives
- Results that don't connect to actions ("Now what?")
- Too long with no progress indication → Abandonment
- Mobile-unfriendly UI (tiny buttons, horizontal scroll)
When to Load More
| Situation | Reference |
|---|---|
| Designing for specific quiz type | types.md |
| Writing and reviewing questions | questions.md |
| Building quiz flow, UI, tools | implementation.md |