Reference
Step types
Every kind of step you can add to a question guide, grouped by purpose.
When you click + Add element in Build, the menu groups step types into five categories. Each row below corresponds to one entry in that menu.
Ask
Steps where the AI moderator talks with the participant.
| Type | What it does |
|---|---|
| Open question | A free-form question the AI asks. Supports dynamic follow-ups and verbatim mode. |
| Task | A task the participant performs while the AI watches. Pairs with media. |
| Statement | The AI says something and expects no response. Useful for transitions and context. The AI speaks it aloud and never shows it on screen. To display words, use Text under Usability. |
Survey
Structured-response steps. The AI pauses, and the participant taps or drags their answer.
| Type | What it does |
|---|---|
| Multiple choice | Single-select from a list of options. |
| Ranking | Drag options into preferred order. |
| Open text | Short typed answer. |
| Slider | Number on a sliding scale (min, max, step configurable). |
| Rating scale | Likert, face, or star scale (where enabled). |
Structure
Steps that affect the shape of the interview, not its content.
| Type | What it does |
|---|---|
| Section | A container for grouping steps. Can be conditional (Strella shows it only to some participants) based on screener answers, quotas, or in-call survey answers. |
| Randomization | A split into branches. Each participant takes one branch at random. See Randomize sections. |
Usability
Steps that show the participant something.
| Type | What it does |
|---|---|
| Prototype | Embeds a Figma prototype. Supports free-explore or goal-based tasks and captures heatmaps. Requires the Figma integration. |
| Website | Opens a URL in a new tab. Pair with screen share to see what the participant does. |
| Image | Shows an image inside the call window. |
| Video | Plays a video inside the call window. |
| Embed | Embeds an iframe inside the call window. For tools and demos that support embedding. |
| Text | Shows written copy inside the call window for the participant to read. You type the words, so there is nothing to upload. |
Test
Interactive exercises the participant works through, then submits. A Test element can hold its own follow-up questions, which stay available while it's on screen.
| Type | What it does |
|---|---|
| Card sort | Participants drag a set of cards into groups, revealing how they organize your ideas. Open, closed, or hybrid grouping. See Add a card sort. |
| Tree test | Participants click through an outline of your labels to find where a task would be done, revealing whether your navigation leads them to the right place. See Add a tree test. |