Free-choice profiling is a method for determining the quality of a thing by having a large number of subjects experience (view, taste, read, etc.) it and then allowing them to describe the thing in their own words, as opposed to posing them a set of "yes-no-maybe" questions. All of the descriptions are then analyzed to determine a "consensus configuration" of qualities, usually through Generalized Procrustes analysis

Generalized Procrustes analysis

Generalized Procrustes analysis is a method of statistical analysis that can be used to compare the shapes of objects, or the results of surveys, interviews, panels. It was developed for analyising the results of free-choice profiling, a survey technique which allows respondents to describe a...

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Dr Françoise Wemelsfelder is a well known scientist who has done extensive research in this field.

Sources

• Raw Hop Aroma Qualities by Trained Panel Free-Choice Profiling, Gregory J. Stucky and Mina R. McDaniel, available on-line