A Panel in Rally is a powerful tool that allows organizations to build a database of Participants who have voluntarily opted in to participate in future research studies. There are different types of Panels that can be created in Rally, depending on the specific needs and goals of the organization.

Some organizations, like GitLab use panels for participants who are difficult to recruit.

Types of Panels

There are two main types of Panels commonly used by our customers. Let's explore some examples from GitLab:

Short-term/temporary: The GitLab UX Research Growth team, for instance, builds Panels of Participants who have used GitLab for less than three months. These Panels have a specific time frame requirement and become obsolete after the designated period. They are often used for purposeful recruiting of specific types of users.

Evergreen Panels: On the other hand, GitLab has an ongoing panel called FirstLook which is their largest and continuous Panel. Participants sign up with a general interest in participating in any research at GitLab. Recruiting for evergreen panels can be more broad and less targeted compared to short-term panels.

Other panel types include automatically populated panels where the entire user base is considered part of the panel, as well as panels that are constantly refreshed and overhauled.

Why build a Panel?

Building a Panel in Rally offers several advantages and benefits:

• Quick access to engaged participants: Panels allow you to easily access participants who have already opted in to participate in research, saving you time and effort in recruitment.
• Community building: Panels help create a community of users who are interested in providing feedback and participating in research activities. This fosters a sense of engagement and loyalty among participants.
• Longer-term research studies: Panels are particularly useful for studies that have a longer timeline, allowing you to engage with participants over an extended period.
• Access to difficult-to-recruit users: Panels provide access to users who might be challenging to recruit through other means, enabling you to gather insights from a diverse range of participants.
• Study complex behavior or usage: With a Panel, you can study complex user behavior or usage patterns by having a dedicated group of participants who are familiar with your product or service.

Key Sections of a Panel in Rally

You can build multiple Panels in Rally. Each Panel has the following key sections:

Panelists

• This section serves as the database of Panel members. Panelists can be manually added to the Panel or join through a Signup Form.

New Signups

• The New Signups section lists participants who have recently signed up for the Panel and are awaiting approval or further action.

Signup Pages

• Signup Pages are external-facing links that guide potential participants through the signup process. These pages typically include a Welcome Page, Screener, Consent Form, and Automated Welcome Email. They streamline the participant onboarding process.

By utilizing Panels in Rally, organizations can efficiently manage and engage with their participant databases, facilitating research studies and gathering valuable insights from their user base.