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Ballpark operates on browser-based realtime media streaming technology, which enables us to capture as much video as possible.
Video streaming has many benefits, especially when compared to the participant uploading the video recording at the end of their session.
Streaming means that the entire video isn't lost if the user leaves part way through a session, or if their connection is disrupted. Our technology is designed to reconnect the video when it's possible to do so.
When a user is streaming their video or screen, there are some instances when the recording is pixelated, cuts off part way through the session or doesn't appear at all on their response.
This article explains some different scenarios that you might encounter when viewing recordings of your participant responses.
What causes video pixelation?
Video pixelation is often caused by a user's device or internet connection being unable to stream video to Ballpark at a high enough speed (known as bitrate). This is usually due to poor internet connection or the device being too busy (lots of tabs, apps etc.).
As Ballpark streams participant recordings in real-time, we are able to rescue incomplete data from the user, rather than the recording being completely discarded. In this case, the video might look fine initially, but as the bitrate fluctuates, the video quality can suffer and pixelation will become visible.
Tips to improve video quality:
As a researcher, it can be difficult to control what's happening on participant's device or their internet connection. There are a few things that you can do to reduce the demands on a user’s device or connection:
Optimise your Figma files to ensure the user's device is only loading the information they need to complete the task.
On the welcome step, ask users to close unnecessary tabs and apps before starting the test.
Make sure your project is not longer than it needs to be. The longer the user is recording video, the more demands it will place on their device.
These are particularly important considerations when you are testing with participants on mobile devices and networks.
Disconnected video
There are a two main types of video disconnections that can occur when a participant is completing a response on Ballpark.
Network disconnect
This type of disconnection is most commonly cause by the participant's internet dropping out. Ballpark's streaming technology has been developed to reconnect video after brief disruptions, however this requires the participant's connection to be available.
User disconnect
This means the disconnect was initiated by the user or something on their device/browser. There could have been a number of reasons for this disconnect, such as:
The user pressing a button to stop sharing video
The browser or computer deciding to disconnect (e.g. laptop sleeping)
Another window or program requesting/disrupting recording