Creating and sharing stimuli in dscout Live

Use stimuli to present concepts, images, videos, or experiences with scouts to get their reaction and feedback. You'll be able to see scouts' faces and their screens while presenting stimuli to them. Stimuli are organized into boards, which contain the individual pieces of stim and allow you to choose when to share the stim with scouts. Boards can contain multiple files, or a single URL link. 

Adding Stimuli to your mission

Click "Add Stimuli" and select the type of stimuli you want to share with scouts. 

• Media: if you'll be uploading an image or video file. dscout Live supports .jpg, .png. .mp4, and .mov files as uploaded stimuli (Live mobile does not currently support .mov files). Images and videos will open on scouts' devices (phone or computer) in a wrapper that prevents them from saving the media file or returning to it after the interview. File names are not visible to scouts. If you upload multiple files to a single board, scouts will see all files at once. Rearrange files between media boards by clicking the arrow next to the file, or remove files from the set by clicking the x.
  • Note: if your media fails to upload, be sure to check for and remove any special characters in your file name!
• Prototype URL: if you'll be sharing a link to a prototype. Go through the walkthrough to understand the way scouts will experience your prototype. If using Live Mobile, ensure your prototype is as simple and lightweight as possible, and that it is optimized for mobile browsing. If using Live desktop, ensure your prototype is optimized for desktop viewing. The prototype will open on a tab in the scout's browser; if on desktop, this means the scout will be able to return to and access the prototype later.
  • Note: we recommend using a publicly available link when possible. If you need to use a password-protected link, you'll need to share the credentials with your scouts during your session. For Live desktop, you can do this via the in-session chat feature, or share the information verbally for Live mobile sessions.
• URL: if you'll be sharing a link to anything other than a prototype. Ensure that the link doesn't require a login, VPN, etc. The link will open on a tab in the scout's web browser; if on desktop, this means that the scout will be able to return to and access the prototype later.

Then, give your stimuli board a title (stim board titles are not visible to the scout, but are particularly useful if you’ll be sharing multiple pieces of stimuli during the interview), and a scout-facing title or description if you’d like! 

Preview your stimuli before moving on to ensure that it will look the way you want during the interview. 

Sharing stim during an interview

Once you’re in an interview with a participant and ready to share your stimuli with them, select the flower icon on the right hand sidebar to see all the stim you’ve uploaded, and click “send” next to the appropriate stim board.

The scout will be prompted to share their screen:

• On desktop, the scout will walk through Chrome screen-share dialogue box options and select “Share.” Once they have done so, the stimuli will open on their screen (in a separate Chrome tab if a URL) and they’ll be able to navigate through it. You will see their camera and screen video feeds, and both feeds will be recorded and viewable after the interview.
• On mobile, the scout will see the below dialogue box and be prompted to share their screen. They will be unable to share their screen if they are already screen-recording or if their mic is muted. You will see both their camera and screen video feeds as long as they are viewing your stimuli, and both feeds will be recorded and viewable after the interview.