Multi Market Projects

Recollective is available in 25+ languages and all timezones, enabling you to run truly global research. There are different ways to set up a project to run in multiple markets. This article will cover:

• The multiple study approach
• How to copy and localize a study manually
• How to copy and localize a study using Automatic Translations
• Multilingual Study vs. Multiple Studies

The Multiple Study Approach

By creating one study per market, you can localize all aspects of the study, from the main moderator to the language and default time zone. Moderators and participants will only interact with others in their dedicated market, which can simplify the moderation experience and boost engagement in social studies. 

Entire studies can be copied and translated manually or automatically, making setting up multiple studies for the same project quick and easy.

Response data from separate or copied studies will not aggregate in the platform but can be exported and combined externally.

How to copy and localize a study manually

• Step 1: Program the study for your first market 
• Step 2: Export the Instructions Only Activities Transcript for translation
• Step 3: Copy the programmed study
• Step 4: Invite the local Moderator
• Step 5: Customize any additional Study Settings
• Step 6: Input the translated instructions 

Note: Steps 1-3 require access to Site Administration, so these steps must be completed by an Analyst-level user.

Step 1: Program the study for your first market

If you have not programmed a study in Recollective before, refer to our Study Setup & Activity & Task articles for further instructions.

Step 2: Export the 'Instructions Only' Activities Transcript for translation

The Instructions Only Activities Transcript effectively acts as a copy of your programmed research guide. This Transcript can be saved as a PDF or copied and pasted directly into a Word document to be shared with translation partners. 

Translating the Activities Transcript is not required, but is recommended. Receiving the translations back in the exact format in which they appear in the platform can greatly simplify the input process. 

Step 3: Copy the programmed study

Navigate to your site’s Dashboard. To copy a Study, select the menu control on the top-right of the Study card you want to copy and select Copy Study.

You will be shown a dialog box with options that let you decide which elements of the Study you wish to carry over to the copy. If your markets have staggered start dates, you can reschedule the Activity Start Dates directly from this window.

Once you have selected which elements of the study you would like copied over, you will be presented with a new dialogue box with settings pertaining to the Study copy:

• Study name: The study name will be visible to participants, so choosing a name in the target language is recommended
• External Study ID (optional): This identifier is only visible to Administrators. If you are choosing a study name in another language, you can use the External Study ID to house a project ID, or, a study name in your preferred language.
• Customize Language: Use this option to determine the default language for the platform interface in the study copy.
• Customize Time Zone: Use this option to determine the default time zone for the study. Any copied Activities and Discussion topics will inherit this time zone.

Any of these settings can be modified after creating the copy by going to the Study Admin Menu > Study Settings > Configuration

Click Add Study to create your copy. The copying process can take a few minutes, especially in studies with many stimuli.

Step 4: Invite the local Moderator

If you have a local moderator for this specific study, you must add them by navigating to Site Administration > Admins.

More detailed instructions for inviting new and existing Administrators can be found here. 

Step 5: Customize any additional Study Settings

We recommend reviewing and/or updating the following in each study copy:

• The Moderator on the Home page
• Verify that the Privacy Settings are sufficient for that market
• The Admin who will receive notifications for the Study
• The study Support Contact

Step 6: Input translated instructions

The last step is simple. Edit each Activity, Task, and Discussion Topic and input the other language text. 

Preview the study once complete to ensure all participant-facing content has been updated.

Tip: Don’t forget to update any Prompt Task button labels. 

Other Considerations

Participant Access: Ensure the site subscription reflects each market's desired Participant Access start and end dates. Note that the Participant Access start time will be listed in the site's default time zone.

Agreements: Agreements at the site level can be shown in multiple languages. More information on this can be found here. Recollective provides an Information Consent and/or Terms of Use template that is easy to populate and use. Please note that this template is only available in English.

All participants will see site-level agreements. If each market requires a custom agreement, you can configure the agreement as a Screening Question.

Default screening notices are available in all platform languages, however, you may wish to customize the notices to better suit the purpose of your screener. If you choose to customize this text, you must also input the translations here.

How to copy and localize a study using Automatic Translations

This method automatically translates key study elements, allowing you to duplicate the study for each market and simply adjust the participant language while maintaining the translated structure.

Step 1: Program the study for your first market

When preparing the initial study for your multi-market project, ensure that all additional languages you intend to use are added as AdminReview Languages and that Automatic Translations is enabled. 

For more information on how to enable Automatic Translations, click here. 

Step 2: Copy the programmed study

Navigate to your site’s Dashboard. To copy a Study, select the menu control on the top-right of the Study card you want to copy and select Copy Study.

When you are prompted to configure your copied study’s settings, change the Participant Language by selecting one of the Review Languages and customize the time zone for your new market. Click Add Study to create your copy. The copying process can take a few minutes, especially in studies with many stimuli. 

Step 3: Invite the local Moderator

If you have a local moderator for this specific study, you will need to add them by navigating to Site Administration > Admins.

More detailed instructions for inviting new and existing Administrators can be found here. 

Step 4: Customize any additional Study Settings

We recommend reviewing and/or updating the following in each study copy:

• The Moderator on the Home page
• Verify that the Privacy Settings are sufficient for that market
• The Admin who will receive notifications for the Study
• The study Support Contact

Multilingual Study vs. Multiple Studies

Multilingual Support

A single study can support multiple languages, known as Multilingual support, which is useful when the same group of participants needs to choose their preferred language. For example, if you are required to provide participants with the option to read and respond in either of their country’s official languages, a multilingual study allows for this flexibility.

However, certain task types—such as Fill the Blanks, Image Review and Video Review—are not fully compatible with this setup.

While multilingual studies work well in cases where all participants interact within a shared study environment, they are not ideal for socialized studies, where participants may see responses in different languages, potentially hindering engagement. Additionally, multilingual studies are not recommended for projects spanning multiple markets. If you are conducting research across distinct geographical locations, a multiple study approach—where each market has its own study in the relevant language—is generally more effective.