Trained Panel Screening and Development

Trained Panel Screening and Development

Overview

A trained descriptive analysis (DA) panel is one of the most powerful sensory tools. A well-trained DA panel gives you the ability to gain deeper insights into your products for the purpose of understanding where they fit in the marketplace, competitive analysis, quality control practices, etc.

This workflow is meant to assist you and your team in the first step of establishing your DA panel – panelist screening. Recruiting panelists that are capable, reliable, and meet all of your criteria, will help to ensure that the quality of your results is not compromised.

Please reach out to Compusense Support if you require the panelist screening tests mentioned throughout this workflow.

Screening Goals

  1. Pre-screen (telephone interview) individuals who are interested in becoming a trained panelist.

  2. Identify up to 40 individuals to screen, based upon their responses to the pre-screening telephone interview.

  3. Select 12 to 15 qualified individuals to join the trained panel.

  4. During the screening process, after each activity you can assign points to panelists to give them a final score after all screening to decide if the panelist will be included in the trained panel.

  5. If none of the selected panelists pass the screening, revisit the original list in order to identify individuals you may have overlooked.

Screening Objectives

To identify panelists who are able to:
  1. Follow instructions.

  2. Communicate and interact within a group setting and also work independently.

  3. Learn attributes after exposure to reference standards.

  4. Describe sensory attributes within various products.

  5. Discriminate visual, aroma, flavour and texture attributes within various products.

Panel Email Advertisement

Email all individuals within your company’s consumer panel database. You can import panelists with emails into the Compusense Panelist database. Another option is a Compusense application form where prospective panelists complete a simple application form to collect demographic information. Use your company’s social media accounts to advertise.

Example of email statement of requirements to include:
  1. Define trained panelist role.

  2. Occasional work (not permanent position), for which individuals are invited to participate.

  3. Flexible to participate in panels between 9am-5pm, week days.

  4. Non-smoker.

  5. No allergies or sensitivities.

  6. Must be at least 19 years old.

  7. Must pass a screening to become a trained panelist.

Pre-screening – Telephone Interview

Individuals who are interested in becoming a trained panelist can be pre-screened with a telephone interview.

Below is an example template that may be used for a pre-screening telephone interview:



Identify Individuals to be Screened

  1. Review phone interview notes.

  2. Identify individuals to be invited to screening activities.

Scheduling (Example)

  1. Invite individuals who passed the pre-screening to participate in screening activities.

  2. Individuals must participate in all necessary screening sessions. It is beneficial to run a morning and afternoon session to confirm potential panelists can attend both times. For example: Session #1 Tuesday - 9:30-11:30, Session #2 Thursday - 1:00-3:00.

  3. Use Compusense to email participants. The Compusense scheduling feature can also be used to schedule screening sessions.

The following links will take you to the pages that outline examples of what two days of screening sessions may look like.

Example: Panelist Screening: Session 1


Example Panelist Screening: Session 2



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