Live Chat is a study type in FC Qual that lets you run real-time, text-based moderated sessions with large groups of participants. Build a structured discussion flow using scripted tasks and questions, then moderate the session live by probing, redirecting, and adapting as responses come in.
Sessions support up to 100 participants, making Live Chat a scalable alternative to video-based methods that does not require audio or camera access from participants.
The builder has three stages: Setup, Tasks, and Schedule.
Step 1: Create a new study
- From your FC Qual homepage, click Create New Study.
- Select Start From Scratch.
- Choose Live Chat as the study type and click to proceed.
Step 2: Set up the study
You will land on the Setup page. Complete the following fields:
- Live Chat Name – Participant-facing. Keep it clear and descriptive.
- Description – A brief summary that gives participants context about the session.
Add moderators
Your account is added as a moderator automatically. To add others:
- Click Add Moderators.
- Search for team members by name or email.
- Click Add next to each person you want to include.
When you are ready, click Continue to move to the Tasks builder. You can also click Save as draft to come back later.
Step 3: Build tasks
Tasks are the prompts and activities participants complete during the live session. Click Add Task to get started. There are four task types:
| Task type | Description |
|---|---|
| Poll (Single) | Participants choose one answer from a list of choices. |
| Poll (Multiple) | Participants select one or more answers from a list of choices. |
| Opinion | Participants type an open-text response to a prompt. |
| Media Showcase | Displays an image, video, document, or embedded media to participants. |
Opinion tasks
Type your prompt in the rich text editor. Use the formatting toolbar to style your text. You can also attach a supporting image or video by toggling Add Image/Video on and uploading your file (max 50 MB).
Poll tasks
Type your question in the text block at the top of the task, then add answer choices in the Choices section below.
Two additional options are available:
- Shuffle Answers – Toggle on to randomize the order of choices for each participant.
- Add Other – Check this box to include an open-text field as an additional answer option.
Note: During fielding, you can target follow-up questions to participants based on their answer selections. See the Live Chat Fielding article for more details.
Media Showcase tasks
Use a Media Showcase to display reference material to participants. Add a note or prompt in the text editor, then select a media type from the toolbar and upload or embed your file.
| Tab | Supported formats | Size limit |
|---|---|---|
| Image | JPG, PNG, GIF, WebP, .jfif | Up to 4 images; max 10 MB each |
| Video | MP4, MOV, MKV | Max 500 MB |
| Document | Max 15 MB | |
| Embed | Embed code from supported providers | Paste code and click Embed Code |
Upload files by clicking the upload area or dragging and dropping from your file explorer.
Managing tasks
From any task, you can duplicate it using the copy icon in the task header, or delete it by clicking the trash icon.
When your tasks are ready, click Continue to proceed to the Schedule step.
Step 4: Schedule the session
On the Schedule page, configure your session details:
- Session Date and Time – Select the start and end time using the calendar and time menus. Participants will see this time in their email invitation, and the attached calendar file will automatically convert it to their local time zone.
- Time Zone – Defaults to your device settings. You can override it here.
- Maximum Participants – Use the dropdown to set a cap. Sessions support up to 100 participants.
Manually add participants (optional)
Under Participant Details, enter participant names and email addresses to send invitations automatically from the platform. This step is optional. If you prefer to share the link yourself, you can skip this field and copy the registration link after the study is created.
Share the session with Fuel Cycle community members
If you would like to use your Fuel Cycle community audience as your live chat participants, you will need to share the registration link in a community activity or email/SMS campaign. Please see the FC Qual Live Chats: Fielding for steps on how to retrieve the registration link.
Recommended ways to invite community members to a live chat:
- Embed the registration link in an Email Campaign or SMS Campaign and share with the whole community or your selected group.
- Add the registration link to a text block in a community Discussion Board activity.
- Use Universal Connections to set up a button that will take members to the live chat registration page using the registration link.
Step 5: Launch the study
Click Launch Study to publish the live chat. This sends email invitations to any participants you added, generates the study distribution link, and notifies moderators that the session is ready.