Live sessions in Ballpark let you connect with participants in real time for interviews, moderated usability tests, and any research where conversation adds value. Everything happens directly in Ballpark with no need for separate meeting apps or plugins.
Live sessions are in closed beta: Press the chat icon at the bottom right to speak to the Ballpark team about getting access.
Creating your study
You start by creating a study exactly as you normally would. There is no separate "live session" study type. Every study in Ballpark can collect responses as either live sessions or self-guided sessions. You make that choice when you are ready to share.
Setting up a live session
There are two ways to set up live sessions in Ballpark: ad-hoc sessions using a shared link, or pre-generated sessions with participant-specific links.
Ad-hoc sessions
Use this method when you want to quickly share a single link with multiple participants:
Click the Share button in the top-right corner.
Toggle from Self guided to Live session.
Copy the link and send it to your participant however you normally would.
Each participant gets the same link, but they join individual sessions that you moderate separately.
Pre-generated sessions
Use this method for better session organization with links tied to individual participants:
Go to the Sessions page in any study (in the nav bar).
Click Create new link.
Add the participant name and email, plus any notes.
Click Create session.
Each link is uniquely assigned, making it easier to manage and track upcoming interviews.
Joining as a moderator
When you join as a moderator, you are in control. You can start the session, guide participants through steps, ask follow-up questions, and end the session. You can have multiple moderators in the same session, which is useful for tag-teaming interviews or having a colleague help with note-taking.
Note: Live sessions do not include Ballpark's recruitment panel features yet. You will need to handle recruitment and scheduling through your own methods.
Sharing your screen
Moderators can share their screen during live interviews, making it easier to guide participants through exactly what you want them to see. Whether you're walking through a prototype, live site, or supporting material, everything can happen inside Ballpark without switching tools or breaking the flow of the session. You can find the screen share option in the live interview session footer.
Joining as an observer
When you join as an anonymous observer, participants cannot see or hear you. This is ideal for stakeholders who want to watch research live, or for team members learning from experienced moderators. You can also share an observer link with stakeholders who do not have a Ballpark account.
After the session
Once the session ends, you will find the recording and transcript in your study results. This includes transcripts, AI summaries, and key topics pulled out automatically. Sessions are also included in the study's Insights Report, including quotes and highlight reels.