Launching Your Study

Launching your study is the moment when your research goes live and participants can begin joining. This guide walks you through the launch process and what happens immediately afterward.

Pre-Launch Checklist

Before clicking "Launch Study," ensure these requirements are met:

✅ Launch Requirements

Study Configuration: All required fields are completed
Funding Status: Your wallet has sufficient funds (shows "Ready" status)
External Study: Your Qualtrics/SurveyMonkey study is published and accessible
Completion Method: Completion code is added to your external study OR redirect URL is configured

How to Launch

The launch process is straightforward:

Navigate to your study in CONFIGURED status
Review all settings one final time
Ensure your funding status shows "Ready"
Click the "Launch Study" button
Confirm the launch in the popup dialog

⚠️ Launch is Immediate

Once you click "Launch Study" and confirm, the process begins immediately. Make sure your external study is ready to receive participants before launching.

What Happens Immediately After Launch

The system performs several actions in sequence when you launch:

1. Fund Reservation

Required funds are immediately reserved from your wallet
Your available balance decreases by the reserved amount
Reserved funds are locked until the study completes

2. Status Change

LIVE Studies: Status changes to ACTIVE (recruitment phase)
ASYNC Studies: Status changes directly to STARTED (active data collection)

3. Participant Invitation

Our system begins sending invitations to eligible participants immediately
Participants matching your filters will start receiving email invitations
For LIVE studies, participants can reserve spots before the start time
For ASYNC studies, participants can begin the study right away

Understanding Post-Launch Status

For LIVE Studies: ACTIVE Status

After launching a LIVE study, you'll see:

Status: ACTIVE - recruitment is happening
Participants: Can reserve spots but cannot start until the scheduled time
Timeline: Study will automatically transition to STARTED at the scheduled start time
Monitoring: You can see reservation counts in real-time

For ASYNC Studies: STARTED Status

After launching an ASYNC study, you'll see:

Status: STARTED - active data collection
Participants: Can begin the study immediately upon receiving invitations
Control: You can pause and resume the study as needed
Monitoring: Real-time completion tracking is available

First Steps After Launch

Once your study is live, here's what you should do:

Immediate Actions (First Hour)

Test Your External Study: Click through your study URL to ensure it's working
Check Completion Flow: Verify the completion code or redirect URL functions properly
Monitor Initial Participation: Watch for the first few participants to ensure everything works

Ongoing Monitoring

Progress Tracking: Check completion rates and participant flow regularly
Quality Control: Review early submissions for any issues
Timeline Management: Ensure you're on track to meet your target sample size

Important

After launching, you cannot modify core study settings like compensation amount, duration, or study URL. If you need to make changes, you may need to stop the current study and create a new one.

Troubleshooting Launch Issues

Launch Button Disabled

Cause: Insufficient funds in wallet
Solution: Add funds via the "Add Funds" button

No Participants Joining

Check: Your participant filters aren't too restrictive
Review: Your study description is clear and appealing
Verify: Your compensation is competitive

External Study Not Working

Test: Click your study URL from the participant's perspective
Confirm: Your external study is published and public
Validate: Completion code or redirect URL is correctly implemented