Demographic cohorts and minimum thresholds
How demographic filters work in InviziPoll results, why cohort slices need at least five responses, and how the Anonymity Coach helps you design safer polls.
Demographic questions let you slice aggregate results by dimensions such as department or location. InviziPoll still shows charts and totals only - not a list of who answered, and not per-response timestamps or submission order.
Two thresholds - Poll-wide results unlock after at least three responses. Any filtered cohort view needs at least five matching responses before that slice appears. Below either bar, the UI stays locked without exact counts.
What a cohort is
When a poll collects optional demographic dimensions, each combination of answers (for example “Engineering × EMEA”) is a cohort. Admins can filter unlocked aggregates by those dimensions after decryption on their device. Demographic answers travel with the encrypted response; they are not a separate identifiable roster.
Why this matters - Small groups are easy to reverse-engineer. A five-person filter that shows 100% “disagree” effectively names the group. The product hides those slices on purpose.
Prerequisites
- A published poll with demographic dimensions you intend to report on
- At least three overall responses to unlock poll-wide results
- At least five responses in the filtered group before a cohort chart unlocks
- Add demographics carefullyIn the poll wizard, tag only dimensions you will report. Prefer one or two high-value fields.
- Read the Anonymity CoachMultiple dimensions multiply combinations. Many slices may stay locked - that is expected.
- Collect responsesShare the poll and wait. Early responders do not appear as a named list.
- Filter after unlockWhen poll-wide results unlock, apply a demographic filter. Under five matching responses, the slice stays locked with no exact count.
- Adjust next timeIf too many slices lock, reduce dimensions or widen the audience.
What you will not see
Admins do not get per-person answer rows, identifiable respondent lists, or metadata that reveals who answered first or last. Cohort tools filter aggregates only. Small combinations return a locked / no-data state rather than a thin chart.
Related docs
FAQ
Why is my department filter locked when the poll already unlocked?
Poll-wide unlock (three responses) and cohort unlock (five in that filter) are separate. Overall charts can unlock while a narrow department slice stays hidden.
Can I lower the five-response cohort floor?
No. The minimum is a product anonymity control, not a workspace preference. Plan audience size with that floor in mind.
Do demographic answers identify people to InviziPoll staff?
No. Demographic values support aggregate reporting after authorized admins unlock results. Support workflows do not expose individual answers.