> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.userintuition.ai/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Screening respondents

> Describe audience criteria naturally and let Customize Plan choose canonical targeting or custom screeners.

## One conversation for audience design

Use `customize_study` for both Panel targeting and custom screener questions. Tell it whom the user wants to interview in ordinary language; do not translate the request into qualification IDs or question schemas in the MCP host.

The backend runs the same Customize Plan workflow as the dashboard. It can match criteria such as age or household income to existing targeting attributes, ask the user to confirm choices, and add a custom screener only when appropriate.

## Continue questions with the user

If `customize_study` returns `response_type: "question"`:

1. Relay the returned `questions[]` to the user.
2. Wait for their decision.
3. Call `customize_study` again with their answer in ordinary language.

In `decisions: "human"` mode, do not answer for the user or convert their answer into MCP-side targeting or screener fields. Use `decisions: "agent"` only when the researcher delegated ordinary research-design choices; any remaining required `questions[]` still need the researcher.

## Screening rules

* Do not add screening the user did not request.
* Never add recording-consent or willingness-to-participate questions; the platform handles consent separately.
* Explain likely recruitment tradeoffs when Customize Plan identifies restrictive criteria.
* After the conversation completes, call `get_study` and show the persisted targeting and screeners to the user.

## Safe updates

Use `customize_study` again when the user wants to add, change, or remove audience criteria or screener questions. `update_study` is for ordinary metadata and intentionally does not accept these designed fields through MCP.

A fielding Panel study must be paused or stopped before its configuration can change.


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