> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://strella-7d79fa26-mintlify-8c581790.mintlify.site/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Setting Up Your Strella Research Study: A Quick Guide

> Create your first Strella project in minutes — define research goals and write a participant-friendly study description that sets clear expectations.

Before your first participant answers a single question, Strella needs to know what you're trying to learn. A well-defined project — with clear objectives and a participant-friendly description — powers more relevant AI moderation, sharper insights, and a smoother participant experience. Follow the steps below to go from a blank canvas to a ready-to-launch project.

## Create a New Project

<Steps>
  <Step title="Open the Strella app">
    Sign in to your Strella account. You'll land on your project dashboard, where all your studies are listed.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Click + New Project">
    Select **+ New Project** in the top-right corner of the dashboard. A setup flow will open to guide you through the next steps.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Define your research objectives">
    The first prompt asks you to set your **research goals**. These objectives directly shape two things:

    * The questions Strella suggests when you use an AI-generated question guide
    * The insights Strella surfaces after each session — every insight links back to an objective

    Write your objectives now, and update them any time your research direction shifts. You can revisit them later under **Settings → Research Plan**.

    <Tip>
      **Guidelines for strong research objectives:**

      * **Aim for 3–5 objectives**, each roughly one sentence long — enough to be meaningful, not so many they dilute focus.
      * **Use outcome-focused phrases** that signal intent: *"to determine," "to assess," "to understand,"* or *"to develop."*
      * **Be specific about what you want to learn** — vague goals produce vague insights.
      * **Keep each objective to a single aim.** Avoid combining unrelated questions into one statement (e.g., don't bundle "understand checkout friction" with "evaluate brand perception").
    </Tip>
  </Step>

  <Step title="Name your study and write a participant description">
    Next, give your study a **participant-facing name and description** — these are what participants see when they join. Make them welcoming and informative.

    | Field                             | What to include                                                                                                                                          |
    | --------------------------------- | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
    | **Participant-facing study name** | A clear, concise title participants can immediately understand. Avoid internal project codes.                                                            |
    | **Study description**             | Explain the purpose of the study, any tasks participants will complete, roughly how long the session takes, and what incentive (if any) they'll receive. |
  </Step>

  <Step title="Create your project">
    Once both fields are complete, click **Create project**. Strella will generate your project environment and take you to the project dashboard, where you can build your question guide, configure settings, and invite participants.
  </Step>
</Steps>

## What Happens Next

After creating your project, you're ready to:

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Modify Research Settings" icon="sliders" href="/getting-started/modifying-research-settings">
    Customize your AI moderator's voice, language, recording options, and branding.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Build Your Question Guide" icon="list-check" href="/question-guide">
    Add questions, media, conditional logic, and randomization to shape the interview flow.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>

<Note>
  You can edit your research objectives, study name, and description at any time by selecting the **gear icon** in the top-right corner of your project and navigating to **Research Plan** or **Interview Details**.
</Note>