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How can I launch my study in other languages?

What to know about guide translation with Outset

Sarah Runkle avatar
Written by Sarah Runkle
Updated over a month ago

🚀 UPDATED as of April 2025 🚀 with information describing our new and improved multilingual guide creation process.

Expanding your research globally? Outset makes it simple with AI-powered translation of your study guides and interviews. As of April 2025, we support almost 40 languages (read more here: LINK)!

Outset automatically translates much of your study, but some parts need your review to ensure accuracy. Here’s everything you need to know about setting up your multilingual study.


How to create your multilingual guide

Watch this short video overview or read more below!

There are two ways to create translations. To start:

  • Click New Study

  • Choose your interview language (and if you want to write in English or another language)

  • Write your guide and screener

Method 1: Generate translations (for one additional language)

Use this if you’re launching in one language only (e.g., writing in English, launching interviews in Spanish).

  • Write your study completely in the original language first

  • Click Generate translations (top right)

  • After a few minutes, click Review translations to confirm or adjust the translations before publishing

Method 2: Duplicate to another language (for multiple languages)

Use this if you want to launch separate studies in multiple languages (e.g., one in English, one in Spanish).

  • Finish your original guide

  • Click the three dots menu > Duplicate to another language

  • Choose the target language

  • After a few minutes, Review translations to confirm or adjust before publishing

💡Tip: After translation, any new edits to multiple choice options, ratings, or screener questions will not update automatically.


What is translated automatically?

These parts of your study are translated automatically and don’t need review:

  • Interview guide questions (conversational, text input, rating/scale)

  • AI moderator probing instructions

  • Study intro and end messages

  • Multiple choice questions (only the answers need review)

💡Tip: For studies with disqualification logic, double-check the translations of answer choices to ensure the logic applies correctly.

You can also translate your insights and analysis results afterward to easily review findings across languages!

What needs review before launch?

Some fields require translation generation and review:

  • Screener questions (titles, intro/disqualification text)

  • Multiple choice answer options

    • E.g., If your question is “What is your favorite color?” and options are “Red, Blue, Green,” you must generate and review translations (e.g., "Rojo, Azul, Verde") to confirm your agreement.

  • Rating endpoint labels (e.g., “Very Unsatisfied” to “Very Satisfied”)

  • Study title and description (if recruiting participants through Outset)

⚠️ Any stimulus (e.g., video, image) if it has text will need to be translated manually, as that translation cannot be automatically translated with Outset


Other tips for a smooth launch

Finish writing your guide and screener first before generating translations!

  • Any multiple choice options, rating endpoint labels, or screener questions created after the initial generation will require you to “Generate missing translations”

  • If you update existing (original language) text after translation, the translated text will not be re-generated and must be adjusted manually, in order to prevent over-writing translations

While probes themselves do not require translation, any references to specific multiple-choice answers do.

  • Example: If a follow-up probe should only be triggered when a participant selects "Sad" in a multiple-choice question, you must reference it in the target language (e.g., “Triste” for Spanish)

  • If you plan to launch this type of probing instruction, testing different phrasing is recommended


Launching in multiple languages can be seamless with Outset! We're happy to support you - and can connect you with human translation providers if needed.


Hope this helps! If you have any further questions, please reach out to our team at [email protected] or via chat.

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