Frequently Asked Questions

You will receive a confirmation message after completing the sign-up survey. A couple of weeks later, you will receive an email from our research team, letting you know if you have been selected to participate in an upcoming study. If you indicated you would be interested in future studies, you may be contacted when that research begins.

Every study is different. The focus for the study will be included in the sign-up survey. If you are invited to participate in a study, the researcher will share additional details about the format and process for the discussion. In general, most tests will ask you to use a digital tool and share your opinion on what you saw and how it works.

Testers join a conversation with the researcher using a remote meeting tool. This will require testers to share the screen of their computer or phone as part of the conversation.

Email is the primary communication used leading up to the study. Access to the internet and a computer are required for the test session.

1. Click the link to join
2. Do not download the application (the browser experience is just fine for this study)
3. If you have Teams installed on your computer, click Cancel to choose the browser option
4. Choose “Continue on this browser”
5. Choose “allow” to let Teams use your camera and microphone (if you accidentally click block, you can fix it later)
6. Type your name (or “Participant 1” if you prefer)
7. If you want to practice these steps, you will see the following screen

Once you are scheduled for an upcoming study, you will receive a calendar invitation that includes details to join the virtual meeting. You will have the option to join using the link or call-in phone number. If you have questions or issues, you can reach out to the researcher's email or phone number listed in the invitation email.

Some projects receive dedicated funding to compensate members of the community. Community members can choose to volunteer their time if funding is not available for a study. 

For funded projects: Gift cards are mailed to the mailing address provided by the tester. Testers can expect to receive their gift card within five business days of completing the test session.

As part of our commitment to valuing testers and their time, we publish a summary of every solution informed by tester feedback. Check out recent studies informed using tester feedback and check back later to see a case study of the research you participated in.