> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.userintuition.ai/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

> Experience your study from a participant's perspective before launching. This step lets you validate that the conversation flows naturally and covers the topics you need.

# Test Conversation

Experience your study from a participant's perspective before launching. This step lets you validate that the conversation flows naturally and covers the topics you need.

You'll have a real conversation with the moderator you configured, running the research plan you just built. Optional, but a ten-minute test catches problems while they're still cheap to fix.

***

## How to run a test

### Starting the Test

1. On the Test Conversation screen, you'll see: **"Ready to test your study?"**
2. Click **Start Test Conversation** to begin
3. Experience the full participant flow

### During the Test

Once the test begins, you'll experience the full participant flow:

1. The moderator greets you and introduces the study
2. You're asked questions from your research plan
3. The moderator probes deeper based on your responses
4. The conversation wraps up

**Tips for effective testing:**

* **Respond naturally:** Don't just give short answers. Respond as a real participant would.
* **Try different response types:** Give some detailed answers and some brief answers.
* **Test edge cases:** What happens if you give an unexpected answer?
* **Complete the full conversation:** Don't skip ahead—experience the entire flow.

### Ending the Test

When the conversation concludes (or if you end it early):

1. You'll see a feedback screen: **"How was the conversation?"**
2. Select **Good** or **Needs Work** to provide quick feedback
3. Optionally, add written comments in the text field
4. Click **Submit** to record your feedback

***

## Making Adjustments

If you identify issues during testing, you have several options:

### Option 1: Minor Adjustments

For small changes to question wording or flow:

1. Click **Back** to return to Step 3 (Review Goals)
2. Edit the research plan directly
3. Proceed through the steps again to re-test

### Option 2: Major Changes

For significant restructuring of the research plan:

1. Click **Back** repeatedly to return to Step 2 (Customize Plan)
2. Chat with Charles about the changes you need
3. Let Charles regenerate the research plan
4. Review and test again

### Option 3: Proceed Anyway

If the issues are minor and you're comfortable proceeding:

1. Note the issues for future improvement
2. Click **Save & Continue** to proceed to launch

***

## Usage Limits

**Test conversations do not count against your usage limits.** You can test as many times as you need to get the conversation right.

This encourages thorough testing without worrying about consuming your allotted interviews.

***

## Skipping the Test

While testing is optional, we strongly recommend completing at least one test conversation before launch. However, if you're confident in your research plan:

1. Click **Save & Continue** without starting a test
2. You'll proceed to Step 6 (Ready to Launch)

> **Warning:** Skipping testing means your first real participant will be your first test. We recommend always testing before inviting participants.

***

## Proceeding to the Next Step

After testing (or choosing to skip):

1. Review any feedback or issues you noted
2. Make adjustments if needed by clicking **Back**
3. Click **Save & Continue** to proceed to [Step 6: Ready to Launch](/creating-a-study/ready-to-launch)

***

## Frequently Asked Questions

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="Can I test multiple times?">
    Yes! Test as many times as you need. Each test helps you refine the experience.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Do test conversations appear in my results?">
    They're labelled with a **Test** badge so you can tell them apart from real participants, and they're never eligible for rewards.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Can other team members test the conversation?">
    Yes. Anyone with access to the study can run a test conversation.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="How long does a test conversation take?">
    Test conversations take as long as a real interview—typically 10-20 minutes depending on your research plan. You can end early if you've seen enough.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="The moderator responded differently than I expected. Is that a problem?">
    Not necessarily — it adapts to each conversation, so no two run identically. It's worth adjusting your research plan if it *consistently* misses an important probe or heads somewhere you don't want.
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>