---
title: Conditions and assignment
description: Set what differs between conditions and who gets which, then open, pause and close a comparative study.
updated: 2026-10-29
---

> All VIABLE docs, for people and their agents: https://developers.viablelab.org/llms.txt

# Conditions and assignment

Set up a comparative study's **Design** tab, then run the study. For example, half of a Grade 4 math class gets an AI tutor and half doesn't.

## The design

**Design** starts with **What this study compares**, then four steps that apply to every course at once.

::: steps
1. **The activities.** Edit them with the course's own editor. Pre-tests, post-tests and surveys are the same for everyone.
2. **What differs.** Give each condition rules: the AI off, the AI sees nothing of the panels, typed only, replies not read aloud, or another agent.
3. **Who gets which, and when.** Choose who is assigned, how, how it is balanced, and when.
4. **Agent versions.** Opening the study pins each agent at its published version.
:::

A new activity starts hidden at every course until its teachers open it.

### Conditions as rules

A study has two to eight conditions, labelled A to H, each with a share from 1 to 10. **Only in some units or activities** adds exceptions, including **Hidden for this condition**. Check **Side by side: what learners get in each condition** before you open.

When comparing units, **The plan, unit by unit** (or **The orders**) says whether each unit keeps its AI, has none, or uses another agent.

### Assignment

- **Who is assigned:** **Each person** or **Each section**.
- **How:** **At random**, in shuffled blocks balanced by the shares, or for sections, **By you**.
- **Balanced:** **Across the study**, **Within each section** or **Within each course**.
- **When:** **When they take part**, **After the pre-test**, or **At first use** (not when comparing units).

A condition never changes once given, on any activity or device.

### Pinned and protocol versions

Learners keep meeting the pinned agent version as the agent changes. **Use the latest published versions** moves every course on. Once open, every design change and version move makes a new protocol version, shown in the study's header.

## Open, pause and close

The header's status control runs **Draft → Open ⇄ Paused → Closed**. Each move explains itself first.

| Move | What it does |
| --- | --- |
| **Open study** | People start taking part; assignment starts; agent versions are pinned. |
| **Pause** | Learners keep their condition. Nobody new joins the study, and nothing is recorded for it. |
| **Resume** | Takes people in and records again. |
| **Close study** | Conditions stop; courses return to their own settings; the data stays. |
| **Open again** | Reopens with the same conditions and pinned versions. |

**Delete draft** works only if the study never opened.

> [!WARNING]
> Once open, how people take part, sign-in, assignment and conditions (except their names) are fixed. First preview each condition from a course's **Share → Preview as a learner**, **In condition**.

## Participants

**Participants** shows **Flow**, as a CONSORT diagram counts it; **Balance on the pre-test**, as Hedges' g; **People**, each learner code with decision and condition; and **The study's record** of every decision, assignment and change.

::: cards
- [Consent and taking part](/docs/research/consent): withdrawal and paper forms.
- [The research export](/docs/research/export): conditions and versions in your data.
:::