Unmoderated studies in Lookback are designed to capture qualitative “why” data, not just task completion.
Participants complete sessions on their own time, but researchers still retain strong control over structure, intent, and evidence quality.
This article explains how to run unmoderated studies operationally and effectively.
What unmoderated means in Lookback
In Lookback, unmoderated research means:
participants complete sessions without a live researcher present
sessions are recorded (screen, audio, and often camera)
recordings stream live as they happen
findings and notes can be created immediately
Unmoderated does not mean:
purely quantitative testing
silent interaction
delayed analysis
Unmoderated study types
Lookback supports two unmoderated modes:
Tasks
Structured, step-by-step studies where you define:
tasks or questions
expected participant actions
follow-ups (including AI-assisted follow-ups)
Tasks are best when you want:
consistency across participants
clearer task boundaries
higher data quality at scale
SelfTest
Lightweight, instruction-driven studies where participants:
follow one simple written instruction
explore more freely
narrate their actions out loud
SelfTest works well for:
exploratory research
diary and longitudinal studies
early-stage concepts
Before you invite participants
Successful unmoderated studies are decided before the first participant joins.
Make sure you have:
chosen the right mode (Tasks vs SelfTest)
written clear, unambiguous instructions
explicitly asked participants to think out loud
confirmed device and app requirements (mobile requires Participate)
tested the flow using a Preview Session
If participants misunderstand the task, there is no live moderator to correct them.
AI moderation in unmoderated studies
Unmoderated Tasks can use AI moderation to reduce common failure modes.
AI moderation can:
prompt participants to elaborate
ask clarifying follow-up questions
remind participants to answer fully
AI follows researcher intent - it does not invent goals or conclusions.
This helps preserve qualitative depth without adding live moderation.
During live unmoderated sessions
Even though the study is unmoderated:
sessions stream live to the dashboard
stakeholders can observe in real time
researchers can start taking notes immediately
You don’t have to wait for all sessions to finish to begin analysis.
After sessions complete
Once sessions are complete:
recordings are immediately available
findings can be created from key moments
themes can be built across sessions
stakeholders can review evidence asynchronously
Lookback encourages analysis to happen close to the raw material.
Common unmoderated pitfalls
instructions that assume shared context
forgetting to remind participants to speak out loud
tasks that combine too many goals
skipping preview and precheck steps
assuming unmoderated = hands-off
Good unmoderated studies require more upfront thinking, not less.