Participant Guide
Overview
Welcome to the Participant Guide for the Open Lab platform! This guide is designed for participants who want to join online research studies, contribute to science, and manage their involvement easily. The platform allows you to discover studies, enroll via web browser, complete tasks and surveys, and track your progress—all from your computer or mobile device. No app download is required; everything runs in your web browser.
As a participant, you can create an account for personalized tracking or join anonymously for select studies. The interface is user-friendly, with sections for finding studies, viewing details, and managing your profile and enrolled studies. Data privacy is prioritized with end-to-end encryption and GDPR compliance.
To get started, visit the participant site at https://app.open-lab.online/. Sign up or log in to access your dashboard, or browse studies without an account.
Signing Up and Logging In
Creating an account allows you to track your studies, update your profile, and receive personalized invitations. Anonymous participation is available for some studies, but an account is recommended for full features.
- Visit the signup page at https://app.open-lab.online/signup.
- Enter your email, create a password, and provide basic info like language preference.
- Verify your email via the confirmation link sent to your inbox.
- Log in at https://app.open-lab.online/login to access your dashboard.
Troubleshooting Tip: If you don't receive the confirmation email, check your spam folder or request a resend. For password reset, use the "Forgot Password" link on the login page.
Finding and Joining Studies
Discover studies through various methods on the "Find a Study" page at https://app.open-lab.online/find. Tabs include Study Code (enter a provided code), Search (browse public studies by keyword), Email Invitation (check for studies sent to your email), and Invitation Code (enter a three-word code).
Public studies are listed on the "Available Studies" page at https://app.open-lab.online/studies, with filters for search, sorting (e.g., newest first), and needs collaborators. Each study card shows title, description, status, and a join button if open.
To join: View the study details page (e.g., via code or search), review info, and click "Join Study" if eligible. You'll be enrolled and can start participating.
Example: Enter a study code like "ABC123" to find and join directly, or search "cognitive tasks" to browse related public studies.
Troubleshooting Tip: If a code is invalid, confirm with the researcher. For expired invitations, request a new one.
Participating in Studies
Once joined, access the study via your account dashboard or direct link. Complete tasks and surveys in sequence—progress is tracked (e.g., 50% complete). Studies may include interactive lab.js experiments; follow on-screen instructions.
Your status updates from Enrolled to Completed upon finishing. Withdraw anytime via the study card in your dashboard.
Example: In a cognitive task study, complete a reaction time experiment followed by a survey; progress bar shows advancement.
Troubleshooting Tip: If a task doesn't load, refresh the page or check your browser compatibility. Contact the researcher via study contacts for issues.
Managing Your Account
Your account dashboard at https://app.open-lab.online/account has tabs for Profile (edit email, language, password; view device/system info) and My Studies (list enrolled studies with progress, option to merge anonymous participations).
In My Studies, view cards with title, description, progress, codes, and dates. For anonymous joins (pre-account creation), merge them into your account to consolidate data.
Example: Update your password in the Profile tab, or merge an anonymous study by clicking "Merge to Account" on its card.
Troubleshooting Tip: If info like device data isn't available, it may update on next participation. For merge issues, ensure you're logged in.
Next Steps
Ready to participate? Explore these resources or contact support for help:
- Browse Available Studies: Find and join public studies.
- Find a Study: Use codes or search to locate specific studies.
- My Account: Manage your profile and studies.
- FAQ: Answers to common questions.