New Feature: PDF Uploads Now Available

We’ve recently released a new feature on the VisionsLive focus groups and interview platform: PDF Uploads.

This update has been introduced as a direct result of client feedback. While VisionsLive has always supported the upload and sharing of images, videos, audio files and PowerPoint documents, many clients wanted the option to share PDF documents directly within their online focus groups and interviews.

Moderators can now upload and share PDFs during a session, allowing respondents to scroll through the document and zoom in where needed. Polls and activities can also be run alongside the PDF, so respondents can complete tasks, answer questions or provide feedback while still viewing the document.

This makes it easier to test concepts, review documents, explore visual materials and gather feedback in a more flexible and interactive way.

At VisionsLive, we’re always listening to client feedback and looking for ways to make online qualitative research easier. When a new feature can help improve the research experience, we explore how it can be added to our roadmap.

New: Image Carousels in Bulletin Boards

We’ve now added image carousels to VisionsLive Bulletin Boards, giving moderators a more flexible way to share visual stimulus with respondents.

Instead of uploading a single static image to the whiteboard space, moderators can now add multiple images for respondents to scroll through, review and rate where required. Each image can also include an optional label or description, added during setup, to help respondents clearly identify and reference what they’re looking at.

This update is particularly useful for projects involving visual comparison, such as packaging concepts, product ideas, adverts, creative routes, mood boards or design testing. Respondents can explore multiple visuals in one place, making the task feel more natural and interactive, while researchers can capture richer feedback and clearer preferences.

Built in response to client feedback, image carousels make Bulletin Boards even more visual, flexible and engaging for online qualitative research.

New Feature: Star Ratings for Bulletin Boards

We’re always listening to client feedback and evolving the VisionsLive platform to support better research outcomes. Our latest update introduces 1–5 star ratings to Bulletin Boards, making it easier for respondents to score concepts and ideas quickly and intuitively.

Available across text questions, heatmaps, polls and whiteboards, this feature adds a simple but effective layer of quantifiable feedback to qualitative projects.

By combining rich open-ended responses with clear scoring, star ratings help researchers compare ideas, spot favourites and report findings with greater clarity and confidence.

New: Discussion Guide Upload for the latest version of our Text Chat platform

You can now upload your Discussion Guide in advance for use during sessions in the new version of our Text Chat platform. This makes it easier for moderators to prepare prompts and instructions ahead of time, helping sessions run more smoothly.

Simply open the Discussion Guide panel from the left-hand side of your session and click the plus icon to get started. Paste your guide into the editor in one go, following the on-screen instructions to format each line correctly.

Once saved, your guide will appear with moderator instructions and respondent chat messages displayed in a visually distinct way, making it easy to review and manage throughout the session. Messages can be sent into the respondent chat at the click of a button, while completed items are marked off in green so moderators can clearly track what has been actioned and what is still to come.

The Observer Chat area remains unchanged, allowing observers to continue chatting in the backroom without seeing Discussion Guide content.

Custom AI Report Refinements — Now Live!

We’re excited to introduce a new enhancement to VAL, the VisionsLive AI Assistant. You now have the ability to customise your AI-generated summary reports with your own prompts, giving you complete control over how your insights are written and presented.

Previously, VAL automatically produced a summary for every focus group or interview based on the conversation captured in your session. With this new update, you’ll now see a new “Refine Report” button in your AI dashboard. Simply click to open a prompt box where you can tell VAL exactly how you’d like your report to be shaped, just like interacting with ChatGPT.

Whether you want a more analytical tone, a conversational style, or even something creative, your instructions will guide VAL’s output. After entering your prompt, select “Refine Report” and enjoy a freshly rewritten version tailored to your needs. You can refine and regenerate as many times as you wish until the report is perfect.

This feature brings a whole new level of flexibility and personalisation to your reporting workflow, now available on VisionsLive.

Run Agreement Polls Live

A powerful new way to capture and visualise participant sentiment is now available in the VisionsLive Focus Groups and Interview platform!

Capture in-the-moment feedback with our new Agreement Polls built for engagement.

Key Features

For Moderators:

• Start activities live during stimulus presentation
• Track real-time progress & responses
• View interactive, colour-coded results
• Present, restart, or close activities with ease

For Respondents:

• Rate statements one-by-one
• Mobile-friendly vertical scale (Disagree → Agree)
• Change responses before submission
• See live results when shared

Visual Insights, Instantly

• See how participants responded by session, statement, and sentiment
• Expand responses to view avatars and counts
• Real-time updates and responsive design

Perfect for testing concepts, messages, or sentiment live.

A New Version of Our Text Chat Platform is here!

After the success of our brand new webcam focus groups and interview platform, which has been getting fantastic feedback for being super user-friendly and feature-packed, we’ve now brought the same magic to our Text Chat platform.

The new version replicates all the great activities you love from the webcam platform, but with even better reports, plus the addition of VAL. This means you’ll get AI-powered Moderator Summary Reports and Key Takeaways to make capturing insights faster and easier.

Batched Activities – Now Live!

We’re excited to introduce Batched Activities, a brand-new feature designed to make your sessions smoother, faster, and more engaging.

With Batched Activities, you can now launch multiple activities like polls, heatmaps, mark-ups, and more all at once by simply clicking the ‘Run All’ button.

Respondents complete them seamlessly in sequence, giving you:

• A streamlined workflow with no need to start activities one by one

• A better respondent experience that keeps momentum flowing

• More time for insights and meaningful discussion

Batched Activities puts you in control while keeping respondents engaged from start to finish.

Aggregate Reports Are Here!

You asked — we delivered.

You can now aggregate data across all of your focus groups and in-depth interviews (IDIs) on the VisionsLive platform, alongside your usual individual reports.

This powerful new feature brings together:

• AI-generated Summary Reports
• Unified Key Takeaways
• Sentiment Heatmaps
• Poll Results Across Sessions

And more…

Whether you’re running multi-market studies or multiple waves, our new reporting tools help you spot trends faster, summarize smarter, and present clearer insights to your stakeholders.

Request a demo today and discover how VisionsLive can elevate your qualitative research.

Cross-Session Text Prompt Reporting is now live!

Compare feedback across sessions, at a glance.

Our new reporting update lets moderators view Text Prompt results from multiple sessions in one combined view.

Key Features

• See total response counts across sessions

• View and filter by Session or Respondent

• Sort by Session, Respondent, or Comment (Table view)

• Switch between Table and Grid views

• Print or export to CSV with session titles included

• Long comments are clipped with Read More/Less toggle

Visual Context

• View the original stimulus image alongside responses

• Clear indicators show it’s a cross-session report

Easier analysis, cleaner exports, and smarter insights!

Flexible Ranking Activities are here!

Moderators can now run Ranking Activities on any type of stimulus, not just collections.

What’s New?

You can now add ranking tasks to File (image, doc, etc.), Text, Screenshare, Collection (as before)

No need to build a collection, just use what you have.

Key Features

For Non-Collection Stimuli:

• Manually define ranking options (2–20 items)
• Labels up to 60 characters
• Validation ensures readiness before launch
• Changes trigger unique reporting for accuracy

For Collections:

• Auto-sync options with collection items (default)
• Or manually set your own
• Switching modes preserves previous entries

Smarter Reporting

Reports display both ranking results and the related stimulus, giving you better context and insights.

Get ready for a faster, more flexible way to rank with VisionsLive!

Pre-Scheduled Screensharing is Now Live!

At VisionsLive, we’re always looking for ways to make your online focus groups and interviews smoother and more seamless. That’s why we’re thrilled to introduce Pre-Scheduled Screensharing, a smarter way to present during your sessions.

Now, you can set up your screenshare in advance while scheduling your session. No more worrying about clicking the wrong screen in the moment or interrupting the flow of discussion. With this feature, your chosen screen will automatically start sharing at the perfect moment, such as when you advance to a specific slide or activity, all without lifting a finger mid-session.

Moderators can stay fully focused on the conversation, while still enjoying all the interactive tools they love. Respondents will be able to participate in activities like polls and ratings directly related to what’s being shared  making feedback more immediate and insightful.

It’s everything you need to keep sessions running smoothly and professionally, with less manual effort.

Introducing the Observer Debrief Channel: A New Way to Debrief

We’ve introduced a brand-new feature to make post-session debriefs seamless: the Observer Debrief Channel.

This new addition allows moderators to start a private debrief with observers immediately after a session ends. Once respondents leave, the moderator can switch on the dedicated audio channel to dive into a discussion right away, no need to jump to Teams, Zoom or other platforms.

Why you’ll love it:

• Instant feedback: Chat with observers in real-time while the session is fresh.
• Focused conversations: With respondents removed, you can share honest feedback openly.
• Everything in one place: Access all session materials, activities, and results as you debrief.

This feature is designed to simplify your workflow, save time, and make post-session discussions seamless.

Have You Tried Our Customisable Heatmaps?

With VisionsLive’s Customisable Heatmaps, it’s never been easier to see what your audience loves, or doesn’t.

Let respondents drop emoji pins from thousands of choices or use a highlighter to mark images or text.

Every pin and highlight is automatically tagged as positive, neutral, or negative, feeding straight into your reports for instant sentiment analysis.

Ready to bring your feedback to life? Try customisable heatmaps today!

Background Blurring is Here!

We heard you! One of your most-requested features is now live: background blurring.

Moderators can now set all participant backgrounds to blur by default before a session begin, helping protect privacy and keep the focus on what matters. No more worries about personal items or sensitive materials in view!

This is especially valuable for pharma research, allowing doctors and surgeons to participate from their clinics without exposing confidential information.

We’re also working on expanding this feature, so participants can blur their own backgrounds—and soon, you’ll even be able to upload custom ones. Stay tuned!

Introducing ‘VAL’: Your AI-Powered Research Assistant

At VisionsLive, we make research analysis easier. Our new feature, ‘VAL’, is here to help. This advanced AI tool changes your post-session workflow. It quickly creates detailed reports after focus groups or interviews.

Check out Collections – A New Way to Engage

We’re thrilled to share a great new feature on the VisionsLive platform: Collections.

What is it, and why is it so special?

Moderators can now upload and share several images during a session. This lets respondents explore them on their own, like browsing an Instagram post. Navigational arrows on both sides of the image show that more content is available. This makes it easy for respondents to explore further.

Why do we think you will love it?

• More Interaction: Respondents can explore different images and engage with content at their own speed. This flexible approach invites a deeper connection to the visual experience.

• Deeper Insights: Pairing simple ranking polls with images helps to extract richer feedback. This method captures subtleties and nuances, leading to a clearer understanding of preferences.

Collections is perfect for:

• Ad Testing: Compare various ad versions side by side with ease and precision.

• Concept Testing: Determine which concepts truly resonate and spark interest in your audience.

• Usability Testing: Gather essential feedback on design choices and how they function.

Sentiment-Based Highlighting

Sentiment based highlighting is an exciting new feature that has many key benefits:

• Interactive Moderation: Moderators can now add prompts and pick a heatmap type. They can also assign sentiments to highlights. The sentiment options include very positive, positive, neutral, negative, and very negative.

• Engaged Respondents: During sessions, respondents can highlight the stimulus and choose their sentiment. This gives real-time, detailed feedback.

Why our focus groups love it:

• Clear Visualisation: See sentiments at a glance with our easy colour coding—green indicates positive, yellow means neutral, and red shows negative.

• Detailed Feedback: Hover over highlights to see who made them and read their comments. This feature helps you capture and analyse feelings easily. This leads to deeper insights and better decisions.