Guide to designing a research model

A model canvas that runs in your browser: build constructs and paths, choose the analysis method, simulate data and read the familiar result tables.

Step 1 — Open the canvas and pick a method

Open the Model designer page. You don’t need to sign in to draw a model and save it in your browser. Under 01 Analysis method, choose SmartPLS, SPSS or AMOS — the result tables follow the method you pick.

Want a quick look? Click Load sample model in the Model file section to open a ready-made model.

Step 2 — Build the model

Click Add latent variable (the button lights up), then click the canvas to place it. Renaming a construct renames its items too.
Use the Connect tool to draw a path between two constructs; choose a positive (+) or negative (−) path, and mark it not significant if that’s what you hypothesize.
Click Add moderating effect to add a moderator: pick the moderator, the X → Y path it affects and whether it Strengthens (+) or Weakens (−) that path.
Add text to annotate the model. Drag to select several items, press Ctrl+A to select everything and Delete to remove the selection.

Step 3 — Configure the data

Setting	Options
Sample size (n)	Up to 5,000 cases per run.
Item scale	Likert 1–5 (default), Likert 1–7 or continuous (z-score).
Outer loading strength	High (0.80–0.92) or Medium (0.72–0.86).

Step 4 — Simulate and read the results

Click Simulate & analyze (sign-in required), rank the strength of the independent constructs, then click Confirm & generate data. The result tables include:

Method	Key statistics
SmartPLS	Outer loadings, VIF, Cronbach’s Alpha, rho_A, CR, AVE, HTMT, path coefficients with t and p values, R², f², Q², SRMR, indirect effects.
SPSS	Cronbach’s Alpha, KMO and Bartlett’s test, EFA, Pearson correlation, regression (VIF, Durbin–Watson).
AMOS	CFA, CR, AVE, Fornell–Larcker, HTMT, CMIN/df, GFI, CFI, TLI, RMSEA, PCLOSE, indirect effects (bootstrap).

Click ↻ Resample to draw a different sample, or ⬇ Download DATA to download the full simulated dataset (CSV for SmartPLS, Excel for SPSS; charged per row, see Pricing).

Step 5 — Save and move on to the questionnaire

Save model to your account to reopen it from Saved models; a guest’s models are saved in the browser and move to the account automatically on sign-in.
Save model (.json) / Open model (.json) to back up or share the model file.
Click Build questionnaire to take the model to the AI questionnaire builder.

About simulated data

The data the canvas generates is simulated data based on the model you draw — use it to learn how to read results, test your design and prepare your analysis workflow, not as a substitute for real survey data.

Do I need to install SmartPLS, SPSS or AMOS?

No. The canvas and the result tables run in your browser; the statistics are computed on The Light Data’s servers.

How many items can a construct have?

Each latent construct can have up to 30 observed items; a model can have up to 50 constructs.

Why do I need to sign in to run the analysis?

Sampling and computation run on the server; signing in lets you save your models and keeps the load fair for every user.

Open the model canvasStart drawing right away, nothing to install.Assessing the measurement model (in Vietnamese)Six criteria following Hair et al. (2022).Assessing the structural model (in Vietnamese)Reading β, R², f², Q², T and P values.