When you share a Research Flow study, respondents take part in a live session with your AI moderator. This article walks you through what respondents see and experience during a session, so you can set clear expectations in your Welcome screen and recruitment message.
For an overview of how the AI moderator runs a session, see How AI-moderated research works in Research Flow. For definitions of Research Flow terms, see the Research Flow glossary.
If you’re interested in Typeform’s Research Flow for creating research studies, please reach out to our Sales team.
What respondents see
Respondents move through the session tasks in the order you add them to your study. The exact wording and branding depend on how you configure the study.
For setup instructions, see How to add tasks to your research study.
1. Welcome screen
The study opens on your branded landing page. The Welcome screen introduces the study and includes a call-to-action button for respondents to begin.
You can use this screen to set expectations, such as explaining that respondents will take part in a short voice conversation or text-based session.
To customize the look and feel of your study, see How to design your research study.
2. Microphone and camera permissions
If your study uses the Voice or Voice and video Session format, respondents need to allow microphone access. Voice and video studies also require camera access.
Before the session starts, respondents see a requirements screen showing which permissions they need.
For Voice studies, respondents say a few words to test their audio. For Voice and video studies, they also check that their face is clearly visible. Respondents can use the settings icons to review their microphone or camera settings.
See How to grant camera and microphone access for Research Flow studies for more information.
3. Screener questions
If you add Screener questions, respondents answer them before the main session begins. Their answers determine whether they meet your study’s requirements.
Respondents who don’t qualify exit the study after answering the Screener questions. Keep them short, one to three questions can help reduce drop-off.
4. Greeting
The AI moderator welcomes respondents and provides context about the study. You can configure the Greeting task to include information about your company or project, introduce the research, or ask for the respondent’s first name.
To learn how to provide context and customize the AI moderator’s Personality, respondent language, and Moderator voice, see How to train and provide context to your research study.
5. Research questions
The AI moderator asks your Research questions in sequence.
It can ask Follow-up questions based on a respondent’s answers to explore their experience, opinions, or reasoning in more depth. You can also show Stimuli, such as images, concepts, copy, or prototype screenshots, and ask respondents to react to them.
The AI moderator’s tone follows the Personality you set for the study.
6. Ending task
After the Research questions are complete, the AI moderator closes the conversation with a personalized goodbye. The Ending task then displays the closing experience.
You can configure the Ending task to include a custom farewell message, a call-to-action button, or an image or video.
Session formats
A Session format determines how respondents answer questions: through text, voice, or voice and video.
You can select the Session format and configure Moderator voice in How to train and provide context to your research study.
- Voice and video: Respondents use their camera and microphone. The AI moderator speaks to them.
- Voice: Respondents use their microphone to have a spoken conversation with the AI moderator.
- Text: Respondents answer questions in a text-based chat interface.
Prepare respondents
You can help respondents feel prepared by setting expectations on the Welcome screen or in your recruitment message. Consider telling them:
- Which Session format they’ll use: text, voice, or voice and video.
- Approximately how long the session will take.
- That the session is guided by an AI moderator and doesn’t include a human moderator.
They’ll also need the following technical requirements:
- A modern web browser. Chrome is recommended.
- A stable internet connection.
- Microphone access for voice or voice and video sessions.
- Camera access for voice and video sessions.
For troubleshooting help, share How to grant camera and microphone access for Research Flow studies with your respondents.
For more guidance, see Best practices for inviting your own customers or contacts to a Research Flow interview.
Preview the respondent experience
Before you publish your study, click Preview to simulate what respondents will see and experience. Use Preview to check that:
- The Welcome screen clearly explains what to expect.
- Session tasks appear in the intended order.
- Screener questions route respondents correctly.
- Research questions and Follow-up questions are clear.
- The selected Session format works as expected.
- The Ending task provides the right closing message and next step.
For instructions on creating, previewing, and publishing a study, see How to create a research study with Research Flow.
FAQ
Is a human moderator present?
No. The AI moderator guides the session, asks the Research questions, manages Follow-up questions, and completes the Ending task.
Can respondents be screened out of the study?
Yes. If you add Screener questions, respondents who don’t meet your requirements exit the study after answering them.
Can the AI moderator ask Follow-up questions?
Yes. You can configure Research questions to allow the AI moderator to ask Follow-up questions based on respondents’ answers.
Do respondents need to use their camera?
Only when your study uses the voice and video Session format. Voice sessions require microphone access, while Text sessions don’t require camera or microphone access.
Can respondents see images?
Yes. You can add stimuli images to a Research question so respondents can react to them during the session.