Recruiting for an in-person playtest: what to consider early on

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For an in-person playtest, a suitable participant also needs to be able to reach the venue, arrive prepared and attend every required session.

Those practical details shape the audience available to you. Discussing them early helps make the recruitment plan realistic and gives applicants a clear understanding of the commitment.

Consider the journey to the venue

• A city name gives us a starting point. The venue address and session times tell us much more.
• A location that is straightforward to reach in the afternoon may be difficult for an early morning start. Public transport, parking and the journey home can all affect whether someone can attend reliably.
• Travel distance alone can be misleading. A longer direct train journey may be more manageable than a shorter trip involving several connections.

Make the full commitment clear

• Applicants need to understand the dates, arrival times, expected finish times and any preparation before accepting a place.
• For multi-day studies, be explicit about whether every day is compulsory. Someone who can attend most of the sessions may still be unsuitable if the research requires full attendance.
• Changes to these arrangements can also affect availability, so it helps to agree the schedule before recruitment begins wherever possible.

Assess the incentive alongside the commitment

• The session length is one consideration. Travel and consecutive-day attendance also affect what taking part asks of someone.
• It is worth deciding early whether travel costs are included in the incentive or reimbursed separately, and what information participants need about those arrangements.
• A clear offer allows people to make an informed decision before applying.

Explain what arrival involves

• Useful joining instructions cover the exact address, arrival point, contact number and anything participants need to bring.
• Where the venue has security procedures, identification requirements or accessibility considerations, these should be discussed and communicated as appropriate.
• Participants should also know whom to contact if they are delayed or their circumstances change.

Agree on the attendance support

• Before fieldwork, establish who will handle participant queries, check arrivals and coordinate any agreed reserves.
• Reserve arrangements need their own clear expectations, including when someone must be available, whether they should travel and how they will be paid.
• At Gromotion, we work through these details alongside recruitment, so participant selection and fieldwork preparation support the same plan.

Planning an in-person playtest? Share the location, likely dates and audience, and we can discuss the recruitment requirements.