Participant Funnel

Overview

The participant management system operates through a structured funnel approach that guides potential participants from initial discovery through qualification verification to active research participation. This approach ensures quality control while supporting various recruitment strategies and participant engagement models.

The Participant Funnel

Funnel Structure and Progression

The participant management system operates through a linear progression that moves individuals from potential interest through active participation. This structured approach ensures that participants are appropriately qualified and prepared for research activities while maintaining quality standards throughout the recruitment process.

Initial Discovery Phase represents the moment when potential participants first encounter your research opportunity, whether through the Pulse Labs platform directory, direct invitation, or external recruitment channels. This phase focuses on capturing attention and generating initial interest among individuals who might align with your research criteria.

During the discovery phase, participants evaluate whether the research opportunity aligns with their interests, availability, and capabilities. The information presented at this stage significantly impacts conversion rates and participant quality, making clear, accurate project descriptions essential for successful recruitment.

Invitation and Expression of Interest occurs when potential participants indicate their willingness to learn more about the research opportunity and begin the qualification process. This transition from passive awareness to active engagement represents a critical first point in the recruitment funnel.

The invitation phase provides opportunities for initial screening and expectation setting, helping participants understand research requirements while enabling research teams to begin evaluating participant suitability for specific research activities.

Qualification and Verification Process involves systematic evaluation of participant eligibility through various verification methods designed to ensure participants meet study criteria and can successfully complete research activities.

The verification process is highly configurable, allowing research teams to implement screening procedures that align with specific research requirements, ranging from simple demographic confirmation to complex technical capability assessment and identity verification.

Active Participation Phase includes participants who have completed all qualification requirements and are available for research activities. These participants represent the qualified pool from which specific research sessions can be scheduled and conducted.

Qualification Methods and Screening

Location-Based Verification

Location verification provides essential geographic screening capabilities for research that requires participants from specific regions or locations. The system supports both current location verification and permanent address verification, enabling research teams to target participants based on either temporary location or established residence.

Current Location Verification uses real-time location data to confirm that participants are currently within or outside specified geographic boundaries. This approach is valuable for research that requires participants to be in specific locations during data collection.

The system supports complex geographic criteria, enabling research teams to create sophisticated location requirements such as "within the United States but not in Texas." This flexibility supports research designs that require geographic targeting.

Permanent Address Verification focuses on participants' established residence rather than current location, supporting research that examines regional culture, established behavior patterns, or requires participants who are familiar with specific geographic markets or communities.

Permanent address verification works particularly well for longitudinal research where temporary location changes shouldn't affect participant eligibility, or for research examining regional differences that require participants with established connections to specific areas.

Screening Survey Implementation

Screening surveys provide comprehensive participant qualification through structured questionnaires that evaluate demographic characteristics, experience levels, attitudes, behaviors, and other criteria relevant to research objectives. These surveys can be configured with sophisticated scoring systems or managed through manual review processes.

Automated Scoring Systems enable research teams to define point values for different survey responses and establish passing thresholds that determine participant qualification. This approach supports efficient processing of large participant pools while maintaining consistent qualification standards.

The automated scoring system supports complex qualification logic, enabling research teams to weight different criteria appropriately and create sophisticated participant profiles that align with specific research requirements. This capability is particularly valuable for research that requires participants with specific combinations of characteristics or experience levels.

Manual Review Processes provide research teams with direct control over participant qualification decisions, enabling nuanced evaluation of survey responses that consider context, experience quality, and other factors that automated systems might not capture effectively.

Manual review processes work particularly well for research requiring specific expertise, unique experience backgrounds, or complex qualification criteria that benefit from human judgment and interpretation. This approach ensures that participant selection aligns closely with research objectives while enabling flexibility in qualification decisions.

Tech Verification

Tech Verification ensures that participants possess the necessary equipment, software, connectivity, and technical capabilities required for successful research participation. This is achieved by requiring participants to upload a photo or screenshot as evidence.

Technical verification prevents research disruptions caused by inadequate participant preparation while ensuring that data collection can proceed smoothly without technical obstacles that could compromise research quality or participant experience.

Identify Verification

Identity Verification provides additional security and compliance capabilities for research requiring enhanced participant authentication. This process involves Selfie ID verification using the established 3rd party verification company Persona.

Via an embedded Persona flow, participants are asked to take a photo of their ID, then a selfie from multiple angles. On their secure servers, Persona is able to match these photos along with information from the ID to verify the identity of the participant.

Many participants on the Pulse Voices Panel are already ID verified, but newly invited particiapnts will have to take this step if required by your study.

Document Signature and Legal Compliance

Legal Document Management enables research teams to require participants to review and sign consent forms, non-disclosure agreements, or other legal documents as part of the qualification process. These documents are securely stored and remain accessible throughout the research relationship.

The document signature system supports complex legal requirements while maintaining user-friendly experiences that don't unnecessarily complicate participant onboarding. Digital signature capabilities ensure legal validity while streamlining administrative processes.

Document management particularly supports research involving proprietary information, sensitive topics, or regulated industries where legal compliance and participant consent documentation are essential for organizational risk management.