Winsteps

RUMM is a great piece of Rasch software, and I am often asked to compare it to Winsteps. The program icons are instructive:

RUMM

Winsteps

The RUMM icon features curves. The Winsteps icon features straight lines. The icons reflect subtle, but important, differences in the measurement philosophies that are built into the software. The Rumm icon is smooth and Rumm provides a smoother analytical pathway. The Winsteps icon has sharp angles and Winsteps expects the analyst to change direction abruptly during the analysis as new aspects of the data appear. The Rumm icon includes probability curves - focusing on on Rasch analytical theory. The Winsteps icon features a ruler - focusing on Rasch measurement application.