Sometimes a quiz is the optimal format for helping people start something big in their lives. That could be an internal thing, like self-work, or an external thing, like taking on a big project.
The simple act of having a starting place recommended by an expert can be enough to spark someone. They feel like they have the confidence to get started. And if you’re creating the quiz, you’re the expert making that recommendation.
I think there are times when that gives people a level of confidence they might not get from a search or an AI answer. There’s something about a person who knows the topic giving you a recommendation that puts your mind at ease. The feeling is, okay, if this person has seen other people do this, they probably know what they’re talking about. I can start here.
With really big undertakings in life, sometimes the hardest part is just taking that first step. A quiz can help someone reach the point where they’re ready to take it.
Skoolie Livin’s bus size quiz is a useful example. It helps people figure out what size school bus to buy for a conversion into a tiny home, or what size finished conversion to look for. The options include short, midsize, and full-size buses. On the quiz page, the creators explain that they know firsthand how important that decision is.
That’s a big project to approach when you’re at the beginning. You might have a picture in your mind of traveling in a home you’ve built, but there are a lot of practical decisions between that idea and actually doing it.
Choosing a bus size gives you something to work from. You can begin narrowing your search and thinking about a layout that fits. The larger project becomes a little more concrete because you’ve worked through an early decision.
For example, someone planning a home for a family will have different space needs from someone planning occasional solo trips. An expert can help people think through how their circumstances affect that choice. The quiz gives those differences a place in the recommendation.
What I like about this is that the creators have identified a question that matters near the beginning. Their experience helps them recognize what someone needs to figure out before moving further into the project.
The same idea can apply to self-work. As an illustrative example, imagine a coach helping people become more intentional about how they spend their time. Someone might arrive with a broad goal of changing their life but feel unsure about where to begin.
One person might know what matters to them but keep saying yes to commitments that crowd those things out. Another might have room to make changes but feel unclear about their priorities. Those people could benefit from different starting places.
The first person’s recommendation might be to practice pausing before accepting a new commitment. The second person’s might be a reflection exercise to identify what they want to make more time for. Each gives the person something specific to try.
If you’re creating a quiz like this, think about how you would help someone who came to you with that big goal. What would you want to understand about their situation? Which differences would change where you’d suggest they start?
Use the questions to understand those differences. Then explain the recommendation in a way the person can recognize themselves in. Help them understand why this starting place makes sense, and give them a step they can actually take.
Let people know who’s behind that guidance, too. Share the relevant experience that informs your approach. That connection to you as a person is part of what can make the recommendation feel reassuring.
From there, your other content, resources, or services can help with the questions that come up as they move forward. You’ve given them an introduction to how you think and how you can help.
Sometimes a clear starting place from someone you trust is enough to get you moving. That’s a valuable thing for a quiz to provide: the confidence to take the first step toward something that matters to you.