fresco

About Fresco 

Fresco is an exciting new project that brings Network Canvas interviews to the web browser.

It allows you to take any existing Network Canvas protocol file, upload it to your own private instance of the app, and then share a URL with participants to allow them to complete the interview on their own device.

The interview experience for participants is identical to that of the desktop applications, but the management of protocols, participants, and data is all conducted through a secure web-based dashboard.

Although Fresco does not add new features to Network Canvas, it provides an entirely new way to conduct interviews using your existing Network Canvas protocols.

The Fresco dashboard.
The Fresco dashboard.

Jump straight In

If you would like to jump straight in and try Fresco, you can visit the sandbox to explore the features of Fresco without needing to deploy it on your own.

Alternatively, you can read the deployment guide to learn how to deploy Fresco for your own study.

Otherwise, you can read on to learn more about the features and functionality of Fresco, and how it differs from the desktop applications.

What is Fresco?

We see Fresco as a way to make conducting Network Canvas interviews more accessible, and to provide researchers with more flexibility in how they conduct their studies. We heard throughout the development of the desktop applications that researchers wanted to be able to conduct interviews remotely, and these calls were only amplified by the COVID-19 pandemic.

We also found that many researchers struggled with the workflow of the desktop applications, and in particular with managing protocol deployment and the aggregation of data.

Fresco is our response to these challenges. It allows researchers to conduct interviews remotely, and to manage their studies (including the management of protocols and participants, and interview data) through a centralized web-based dashboard.

We also see Fresco as a milestone in the development of Network Canvas Studio, which will be a web-based platform for designing and conducting interviews that we hope to complete in the coming years.

It is important to remember that Fresco does not replace the desktop applications, but rather provides an alternative way to conduct interviews. The desktop software will continue to be supported, and may be a better choice for your study depending on your specific needs.

Fresco is also a pilot project, with modest scope and aims. We will not be adding significant new functionality to Fresco over its lifespan, but we are actively seeking feedback from users to help us improve it and to shape the direction we take with Studio.

Features and Functionality

Fresco includes features to support participant management, protocol management, and data export. It is also designed to be 100% compatible with all existing Network Canvas protocols. Below you can find a brief overview of the features and functionality of Fresco.

Study Management

Recruitment

Data Management

Key Differences between Fresco and the Desktop Apps

There are several key differences between Fresco and the desktop applications that you should be aware of:

Known Limitations

Because of the nature of the web platform, some features from Interviewer could not be implemented. These include:

Next Steps

To explore Fresco and learn how to use it, we recommend you start with the following resources:

Should you encounter issues, we encourage you to use the search function at the top of each page, read our FAQ, or visit our community forum for support.

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