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What Is Recorded in a Session?

Learn what Lookback records during a session, what can vary by method or device, and what is never recorded — so you know what evidence you can expect and why.

Henrik Mattsson avatar
Written by Henrik Mattsson
Updated over a week ago

Lookback records sessions to support qualitative understanding.

What is recorded in a session is determined by:

  • the research method being used

  • the participant’s device and operating system

  • technical and privacy constraints

This article explains what Lookback records by design, what can vary, and what is intentionally not captured.

Sessions are recorded as evidence

A session is recorded so researchers can:

  • revisit what actually happened

  • stay close to raw material

  • compare behavior and statements across participants

  • ground insights in observable evidence

Recording is not an afterthought in Lookback - it is foundational to how qualitative research is supported.

What Lookback may record during a session

Depending on the research method and device, a session may include:

  • Screen recordings
    What the participant sees and interacts with

  • Audio
    The participant’s voice and any system audio relevant to the session

  • Video
    Participant face camera, when enabled and supported

  • Touches, taps, and gestures
    On supported iOS and Android configurations

  • Tasks and non-verbal answers

    Recorded from the task flow and participant non-verbal input

  • Time-stamped notes
    Created by researchers during or after the session

  • Observer and team chat
    Linked to exact moments in the session

  • Transcriptions
    Generated from session audio when available

  • Findings
    Short, timestamped video segments extracted from the session

All of these elements are tied back to the original session timeline.

What varies by method and device

Not all sessions record the same signals.

Variation can occur based on:

  • moderated vs unmoderated research

  • remote vs in-person sessions

  • desktop vs mobile devices

  • operating system restrictions (especially on iOS)

For example:

  • some mobile operating systems restrict what can be recorded when an app is backgrounded

  • certain gestures or system interactions may not be visible on all platforms

These differences are technical constraints, not arbitrary product decisions.

What is recorded in unmoderated and AI-moderated sessions

Unmoderated and AI-moderated sessions are still recorded as full sessions.

They typically include:

  • screen recordings

  • participant audio

  • task prompts and responses

  • AI follow-ups (when enabled)

They also stream live as they happen, allowing researchers and stakeholders to observe without interfering.

What Lookback does not record

To set clear expectations:

  • Lookback does not record anything outside the session

  • Lookback does not record participants without their involvement

  • Lookback does not infer behavior that did not occur

  • Lookback does not generate conclusions automatically (although proposed Findings can be automatically generated)

Only what happens during the session - and what is explicitly created in relation to it - becomes part of the recorded evidence.

Recording, consent, and trust

Recording is always tied to participant consent and ethical research practices.

Participants are informed about recording, and sessions are designed so participants can focus on the task without being distracted by observers or back-channel discussion.

This separation protects both participant experience and evidence integrity.

Why this matters

Knowing what is recorded helps you:

  • interpret evidence correctly

  • understand limitations without overcorrecting

  • trust what you are seeing - and what you are not

Lookback is designed to record what is necessary to understand why, while respecting technical and ethical boundaries.

What to explore next

To continue through the Core Concepts:

  • Learn how findings are created from sessions

  • Understand how themes group evidence over time

  • Explore how AI helps surface value without replacing judgment

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