Troubleshooting Tips
Overview
In reality, things don't always go as planned, even in the perfect world of Sensory Testing :)
On this page you can find some common symptoms experienced by panelists or by analysts, and solutions for addressing the symptoms and their underlying causes.
Please contact our Support Team with topic ideas you would like to see on this page, or in our Support Centre in general.
What to do when...
Panelist page does not load
- Maybe your testing location is experiencing Internet connectivity issues. Are you able to launch other websites?
- If indeed there is Internet connectivity issue happening and panelists are unable to load the next page of the test, if possible, have panelists wait for the Internet connection to be restored and then have the panelist refresh the page. Browsers usually have a refresh icon at the top.
- If you do not have the refresh icon available, still wait until the Internet connection is restored, and then use the F5 key on your keyboard to refresh the page.
Data is saved to our servers (database) every time a panelist clicks Next and successfully loads the next page. If they were in the middle of answering questions on a page, their results for that particular page are saved locally on their device. With the two methods of saving data (1. into our database and 2. locally on panelist devices), the data loss is nearly impossible. In an event of data collection interruption, the data that is saved to our servers is safe (it is not lost), and for the data saved locally on devices, it is important not to close down the browser and to wait until Internet connection is restored before refreshing the page a panelist was in the middle of when the interruption happened.
A test is not available to panelists but it should be!
If panelists have logged into your panelist website to complete a test and it is not available for them to start it, there are a number of things to check which may be causing it to not be available. You might have only one or a few panelists affected, or all panelists affected.
- End date for the test: Ensure that in the Run test tab, the End date is set in the future. If it is in the past, pause the test and update the End date.
- Presented to the right website: Panelist websites identify which URL the test can be accessed from. If the panelist accesses the URL of a different website and logs in, they will not see the test. Check what website panelists are accessing on the panelist devices, and compare whether the URL matches what you see in the Run test tab.
- If panelists are using the wrong website URL, provide them with the correct one.
- If panelists are using the correct URL, but your test was accidentally presented to a wrong website, go to the Overview tab and select the correct website.
- Correct time zone: Ensure that in the Overview tab, the test is set to run in the correct Time zone.
- Number of sample sets: Ensure that you have not run out of Sample Sets. Check in the Run test tab how many sample sets there are versus how many complete and in progress results there are.
If you need more sample sets in your test, even if the test is running, go to the Samples & design tab, and click Increase sample sets to double up the current number of sample sets. If you still require more, click the same link again to further double up the number of sample sets. You will not need to pause the test for this action. - Right panelists: Ensure that the panelist who is unable to access the test has been added into the test. This can be confirmed in the Panelists tab.
- Panelists assigned to sample sets: Ensure that a sample set is assigned to the panelist. This can be confirmed in the Logistics tab by clicking the View link. If you determine that indeed a sample set has not been assigned to the panelist, pause the test, go back to the Logistics tab and click Advanced binding. On the left, select the panelist and on the right select a sample set you wish to assign to them. Click Bind selected > Close. Start the test and the panelist should be able to see and take it.
- End date for the partial present: If you are using the Partial Present feature, ensure that in the Logistics > Partial Present, the End date for the block you are presenting is in the future, or that the Present block is toggled to Yes.
- Panelists and partial present blocks: If you are using the Partial Present feature, go to the Logistics > Partial Present and ensure that your partial present blocks have been set for all panelists (that the blocks for all panelists appear in the appropriate colours).
I see spelling mistakes in my running test! Can I fix them without loosing data?
If you notice that you have a spelling mistake in any of the instructions text, this information can be changed while the test is in the Running status, without having to pause the test.
To make changes, go into the Build tab, locate and expand the appropriate question or text screen, click inside the existing instructions and make necessary changes. Click outside of the instructions screen to save the changes. The updated text will appear to panelists the next time the screen loads.
To make changes, go into the Build tab, locate and expand the appropriate question or text screen, click inside the existing instructions and make necessary changes. Click outside of the instructions screen to save the changes. The updated text will appear to panelists the next time the screen loads.
I see question or attribute, or choice labelling mistakes
If you notice that in your running test you have made a spelling or labelling mistake in a Choose or Category question, the label can be changed while in the In design status, which means that the test needs to be paused first.
To make changes, wait for a break in testing, or instruct panelists to stop testing momentarily. Pause the test, go into the Build tab, locate the appropriate question or attribute, go to its Options, and you will be able to type the labels/names as required. Once changes have been made, save them, and re-start your test.
Depending on the changes made, you may need to edit results for panelists who already entered responses prior to the change once all results have been collected (for example, if you flipped the labels on a Category scale).
My Connections are not working properly!
If you have added Connections (Skips, Jumps, or Entrance criteria), or piped choices into your test and it is not behaving as expected, these can be modified when the test is in the In design status, which means that the test needs to be paused first.
To make changes, wait for a break in testing, or instruct panelists to stop testing momentarily. Pause the test, go into the Build tab, click the Connections button, and make the necessary changes. Once changes have been made, save them, and re-start your test.
To make changes, wait for a break in testing, or instruct panelists to stop testing momentarily. Pause the test, go into the Build tab, click the Connections button, and make the necessary changes. Once changes have been made, save them, and re-start your test.
We highly recommend reviewing every test before running it live to ensure that everything is flowing as expected.
Unexpected panelists show up to do a test
If an unexpected panelist shows up and you would like to have them participate in your study, they will need to be added into your test. Panelists can be added to a test in Running status if the Sample set binding options is set to Panelist receives next available sample set or Panelist enters code to receive sample set.
To add a panelist go into the Panelists tab, and add the panelist from your Panelists library. If they are not currently in your Panelists library, you can either create a new panelist if this panelist is expected to participate in future product test, or use a Guest panelist if they are participating only this time.
If the Sample set pre-assigned to panelists sample set binding option is used, the test must be in the In design status. To add in the unexpected panelist in this case, wait for a break in testing, or instruct panelists to stop testing momentarily. Pause the test, add in the appropriate panelist and be sure to assign them to a sample set (Logistics tab). Once complete, you can re-start your test.
To add a panelist go into the Panelists tab, and add the panelist from your Panelists library. If they are not currently in your Panelists library, you can either create a new panelist if this panelist is expected to participate in future product test, or use a Guest panelist if they are participating only this time.
If the Sample set pre-assigned to panelists sample set binding option is used, the test must be in the In design status. To add in the unexpected panelist in this case, wait for a break in testing, or instruct panelists to stop testing momentarily. Pause the test, add in the appropriate panelist and be sure to assign them to a sample set (Logistics tab). Once complete, you can re-start your test.
Panelist entered wrong response
If a panelist accidentally entered a wrong response, take note of what the correct response was so that you can edit the results. Once the data collection is done for the day, make a clone of your test and keep results when cloning. This will ensure that you have a backup copy of the original results just in case. Verify that the clone indeed has results and close the clone.
Go into the original test, in the Results area. Select Advanced > Edit results. Select the panelist whose results you wish to edit and click Edit sample sets results. You will be prompted to select a reason and write a note about the edits you are about to make. It is important to provide accurate information for auditing purposes.
Once done providing the reason for edits, select the applicable question from the list, click the pencil and update the data as necessary. Click Save results.
Once done providing the reason for edits, select the applicable question from the list, click the pencil and update the data as necessary. Click Save results.
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