Introduction to study blocks

We call the building blocks of studies on Wondering blocks. There are 7 block-types you can use to create your studies: Message, Explore, Rate, Choose, Concept Test, Live Website Test and Prototype task.

These blocks allow you to create both simple and in-depth research studies. Here's how each of the blocks work:

Message blocks allow you to display a message to the participant. This block can be used as the first block in your study to introduce your study to your participant, or to provide context in-between other blocks.

If you're running a longer study, a common approach is to use Message blocks at the start of your study to set your participants expectations for the study, gather consent, let them know about any incentive they'll receive, let them know how long the study will take to complete and more.

If you want to display an image or video to participants, these can be added to Message blocks.

Explore blocks allow you to ask an open-response question on any topic. You can control if participants record their responses through voice recording, voice and webcam recording or by typing their response.

The concept test bock has two different modes: Open response and Timed test.

In the open response mode, you can display a static image, such as a mobile or desktop design, next to a written question. Participants will only be able to see the image once they start recording their response, allowing you to ask participants questions that capture their immediate thoughts and reactions to an image.

In the timed test mode, you can display a static image, such as a mobile or desktop design, for a short amount of time. After the image stops showing, the participant will be asked a written question. Participants will only be able to see the image for a limited time, allowing you to understand participants understand or recall information from your image.

You can control if participants record their responses through voice recording, voice and webcam recording, but not typed responses, so participants will need access to a microphone.

Rate blocks allow you to ask rating or NPS questions such as "How satisfied are you with your latest order?" or "How likely are you to suggest our product to a colleague?". Participants answer on a custom scale that you define.

Within the Rate block, you can collect rating scale responses using an Net Promoter Score (NPS), Stars and Numerical scale:

If you want to display an image or video to participants, these can be added to Rate blocks.

Participant respond by clicking a button on a rating scale for the primary question in the block. You can control if participants record their responses to follow-up questions through voice recording, voice and webcam recording or by typing their response.

Choose blocks allow you to ask multi-choice questions where only one or multiple option can be selected as an answer.

If you want to display an image or video to participants, these can be added to Choose blocks.

Participant respond by clicking a button on their chosen option(s) for the primary question in the block. You can control if participants record their responses to follow-up questions through voice recording, voice and webcam recording or by typing their response.

Prototype test blocks allow you to display a Figma prototype to your participants, and give participants instructions to explore your designs or complete a task. The participant's voice, screen and audio will be automatically recorded so that you can watch back their experience so you can improve your designs. Screen recording is only supported on desktop devices.

Live website test blocks allow you to open an external live website in a new browser window, to show the participant a website. The participant's screen and audio will be automatically recorded so that you can watch back their experience and understand how they interact with a website. Screen recording is only supported on desktop devices.

To make it easier to gather the feedback you need from your participants, Message, Rate, Choose, Live Website Test and Explore blocks all support showing participants an image or video. Simply upload the stimuli you'd like your participants to view using the "Include image or video" setting:

AI generated follow-up questions can be added to Explore, Rate, Choose and Image blocks, and allow you to use AI to ask contextual follow-up questions after your participants give their answer to the question in your block.

For a detailed guide about how AI generated follow-up questions work, see this guide.