# 8. Blindfolding

## Purpose

Does the model show predictive relevance for Trust, Satisfaction, and Loyalty?

## Practice study

- File: [customer-experience-pls.csv](../samples/customer-experience-pls.csv)
- Prepared project: [customer-experience-pls.qpls](../projects/customer-experience-pls.qpls)
- Observations: 400
- Data type: deterministic synthetic instructional data
- Complexity: a realistic multi-construct model with multi-item measurement blocks

**Prerequisites**

- Run PLS-SEM Algorithm successfully first

## Exact procedure

1. Start QuickPLS and choose **Open Project**. Select [customer-experience-pls.qpls](../projects/customer-experience-pls.qpls). This prepared teaching project contains the exact dataset, analysis-ready base model, bindings, and a saved layout. Complete any method-specific term, group, or higher-order instruction stated below before calculation.

2. Open **Data** and confirm **customer-experience-pls.csv** contains 400 observations. Return to **Model**. The linked CSV remains available separately for inspection and re-import practice.

   ![Blindfolding sample data](../screenshots/blindfolding/01-data-ready.png)

3. Confirm that the prepared model contains these constructs and measurement blocks: Quality (quality_1–quality_4), Value (value_1–value_3), Trust (trust_1–trust_4), Satisfaction (satisfaction_1–satisfaction_4), and Loyalty (loyalty_1–loyalty_4), all reflective.

   Confirm these saved structural paths: Quality, Value, and Trust → Satisfaction; Quality, Value, and Trust → Loyalty. This direct-effects teaching model deliberately leaves indirect-path analysis to the separate Mediation tutorial.

4. The prepared project already contains a saved, neatly arranged model layout. Do not choose **Arrange** or otherwise change the canvas before this tutorial calculation. If you later edit the model, arrange it once and save the edited project before calculating.

   ![Blindfolding prepared model or variable roles](../screenshots/blindfolding/02-arranged-model.png)

5. Choose **Validate** and confirm there are no blockers. Do not save the unchanged prepared project; save only after you intentionally edit it.

6. Run **Calculate → PLS-SEM Algorithm** and keep **Open Results when finished** selected. The qualified 2.62.8 PLS result includes the omission-based **Blindfolding — cross-validated redundancy** table. The screenshot below identifies the separate **Blindfolding (Q²)** setup and its omission-distance control, but do not start that standalone route in this 2.62.8 teaching workflow.

   ![Blindfolding calculation setup](../screenshots/blindfolding/03-calculation-setup.png)

7. Use the ordinary PLS point-estimate settings. Read **Readiness** and choose **Start calculation** once. Wait for **Completed**; do not close the project while the result is being saved.

8. In **Results**, keep the qualified **PLS-SEM results** selected and inspect these outputs in order:

1. Cross-validated redundancy Q²
2. SSE and SSO for each eligible endogenous reflective construct
3. The corresponding R-square table for descriptive context

   ![Blindfolding primary result](../screenshots/blindfolding/04-results-primary.png)

   ![Blindfolding secondary result](../screenshots/blindfolding/05-results-secondary.png)

9. Choose **Save Report** to preserve the exact result. Use **Export** for the needed table/report format. Close and reopen the project once and confirm the saved result remains selectable.

## Reading guidance

- The data are deterministic synthetic teaching data. They are suitable for reproducing the workflow, not for substantive publication claims.
- Q² here is an omission-based redundancy diagnostic, not out-of-sample prediction. Use PLSpredict or CVPAT when predictive performance is the research question.
- The installed 2.62.8 standalone Blindfolding route calculated a result but rejected its saved assessment payload during project validation. Therefore this tutorial deliberately uses the verified Q² table already contained in the qualified PLS result and does not claim the standalone route is releasable.