Creative content ideas can be tricky to design sometimes, and this could be because of the format you have chosen. To open up new horizons, we have researched 6 of the best interactive tools, calculators and surveys that could help inspire you when building your next content marketing campaign.

1) The Water Calculator

This calculator reveals the amount of gallons of water you use every day, based on the answers you provide in the survey. The questions are classified in three categories: “Indoor water”, “Outdoor water” and “Virtual water”. This easily gives you an idea of which category you could improve. Keep in mind that the results are an estimation and that the data gathered is US specific.

What we like:

As you might have noticed, the water’s level varies depending on your chosen answers. In fact, the left part of the screen has been turned into a gauge, and that’s where all the magic is.
We also like the fact that the final graph gives you a good overview of your water consumption compared to the average US citizen.

Estimated Usage Time: 5 minutes

2) The Workout Plan Calculator

“Your Fast Food Workout Plan” is a calculator that will show you the amount of exercise you need to do to counteract the calories you consumed from the fast food you just ate at the weekend. The idea of the tool is that you choose between 7 fast food chains (including McDonalds, Burger King and Starbucks), and then what food you ate specifically. The tool will then display many different exercises, and how long you have to spend doing them, to work off the calories consumed.

What we like:

The idea is brilliant and the choices are so detailed that it makes the calculator very accurate. They turned basic information (the calories) into something more understandable and that speaks to us.
Also, the format they used to present the information is very interesting, because it looks like you are provided a personalised result. Thankfully for the Kaizen team, they haven’t included Nando’s, Five Guys and GBK 🙂

Estimated Usage Time: 2 minutes

3) The Lottery Calculator

Created by our team, the idea of this calculator is to show you how much your lucky number would have won you if you played the lottery every week since it first started. Simply enter your lucky numbers and it will calculate how much you would have won, based on real data provided from the national lottery (UK version) and the power ball (US version). Maybe your lucky numbers are really lucky!

What we like:

The tool is 100% accurate and the design makes it more fun to use than the other lottery tools you can find online. As you might have noticed, the background pattern is basically the printed lottery ticket you can get in the UK.

Estimated Usage Time: 1 minute

4) The Relationship Calculator

Also made by our precious hands, this calculator is an entertaining way to find out if you would be richer single or in a relationship. It is really simple: you just have to answer to 8 questions as : “How many times a month do you eat a takeaway?” or “How much do you save each month?“ and the tool will give you a concise result. To give you an accurate answer, the calculations have been made based on a survey of 1,000 UK residents.

What we like:

The idea is very fun, as the answer to this question is obvious. The design of this tool is quite simple and minimalistic, but the fact that all the questions have been presented as slide inputs and on one single page makes the tool really easy and ready-to-use, which is a really good from a user experience point of view.

Estimated Usage Time: 2 minutes

5) The Slavery Footprint Survey

The “How many slaves work for you?” calculator is a great way for the organisation “Made in a free world” to manifest their values and ethics via this powerful tool. Based on different metrics including the food you consume and the electronics you use, the tool will estimate how many slaves would be working for you – and it may be higher than you expect!

What we like:

The design and build of the tool is amazing. Even if the survey is really long, the theme of the calculator and the design makes it interesting and well worth completing. In terms of design, some elements have been turned into funny illustrations you can play with (select female or male, resize your wardrobe, …) so the time spent seems less than what it really is!

Estimated Usage Time: 10 minutes

6) The Spare Time Worth Calculator

This last calculator (also my favourite one) is a tool that gives you an idea of how much your spare time is worth. They based their estimation on how much you are paid, how much patience you have and how much you think your spare time is worth.

What we like:

The design is brilliant because the graphics are very entertaining and the color scheme is strong. Also, each step of the survey has been turned into different small games, instead of just having interactive elements or illustration. Each question has its own game, so it’s totally worth for you to try this one, just for the experience!

 Estimated Usage Time: Depends on your patience… but don’t forget, time is money!

What Can You Learn from them?

As you have seen, calculators and surveys are not always boring. Here are a few takeaway points to consider when creating your next tool:

• Turn design into an essential feature
• Tell a story through the manipulation of your data
• Add animations to make the tool interactive
• Turn the basic scales into entertaining games
• Don’t forget to mention the sources and the methodology used – credibility is key

Hopefully you now feel inspired to build your own creative calculator… Good luck!