Live moderated sessions have the highest coordination cost: participants, moderators, observers, devices, and recording all have to work at the same time.
This checklist is designed to help you run live sessions calmly, reliably, and without burning sessions or participant time.
Before the session starts
Confirm the study setup
Correct Project and Round selected
Correct method (LiveShare or Interview)
Landing page or prototype loads correctly
Discussion guide is ready and visible
Stakeholder Goals reviewed (if defined)
Test the flow
Preview the session end-to-end
Confirm links auto-open correctly
Verify participant instructions are clear
Check that required permissions are requested (screen, mic, camera)
Previewing avoids the most common live-session failures.
Prepare your environment
Close unrelated tabs, apps, and notifications
Use Chrome or Microsoft Edge for moderating
Select the correct microphone and camera
If you’re in the same room as the participant, use In Person mode
Brief observers (if any)
Confirm observers understand:
they are invisible to participants
they should use observer chat, not voice
Confirm stakeholders know what the session is about
Encourage observers to note questions and take notes
When the participant joins
Confirm audio and video
Ask the participant to speak immediately
Confirm you can hear them clearly
Confirm camera is working (if enabled)
If audio isn’t clear in the first minute, pause and fix it.
Set expectations
Remind the participant:
they are not being tested
it’s okay to be confused
to think out loud
Explain what will happen next
Answer any questions before starting tasks
This reduces anxiety and improves data quality.
During the session
Guide, don’t lead
Ask neutral prompts
Avoid explaining the interface
Let participants struggle briefly before probing
Follow up on behavior, not opinions
Use Lookback tools actively
Take notes during key moments
Use Eureka assistance when helpful
Watch observer chat for follow-up ideas
Create Findings live when something clearly matters
Analysis should begin during the session, not after.
Handle issues calmly
If something goes wrong:
Pause the session verbally
Fix the issue (audio, screen, link)
Resume without restarting if possible
Temporary disconnects on the same device usually do not create a new Session.
If something goes wrong
Participant disconnects
If they reconnect on the same device within the session window, continue
Briefly recap where they left off
Do not restart unless necessary
Wrong link or page opened
Use Send Link to redirect the participant
Avoid asking them to type URLs manually
Technical failure
If the issue can’t be resolved quickly:
thank the participant
end the session
decide whether to reschedule
Ending the session
Wrap up cleanly
Ask final open-ended questions
Thank the participant
Explain what happens next (if appropriate)
End the session explicitly
Click End Session
Confirm the session has stopped recording
After the session
Once the session ends:
scan Headlines
review any AI-suggested Findings
validate or edit Findings
note anything to adjust before the next session
Early review helps catch issues before the next participant joins.