> ## Documentation Index > Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://help.harmonica.chat/llms.txt > Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further. # Creating Sessions > Learn how to create and manage Harmonica sessions ## Overview As a host, you can set up and manage Harmonica sessions to gather insights, facilitate discussions, and coordinate with groups. This guide covers everything you need to know about creating effective sessions. ## Two starting points You can start a session from scratch or from a methodology template. * **From scratch** — type your objective directly in the dashboard input field and click **Create**. You'll fill in goal, critical information, and context manually. * **From a template** — go to **Templates** and pick a methodology. The template pre-fills the session's fields and selects a facilitation approach matched to that method. If you pick a chain template (a multi-step sequence), see the [Chains guide](/guides/hosts/chains) instead — those launch differently. ## Creating your first session Go to [app.harmonica.chat](https://app.harmonica.chat) and sign in to your account. If you don't have an account yet, you'll need to create one first. After signing in, you'll see your dashboard with an overview of your sessions and projects. You can start in several ways: * Type your objective in the input field on the dashboard and click **Create** * Click **Create Session** * Go to **Templates** to pick a pre-built methodology and have the fields pre-filled for you The creation wizard walks you through the session's core fields. The exact fields depend on whether you started from a template: * **Goal** (or equivalent methodology field) — what you are trying to find out or achieve * **Critical to gather** — the specific kind of information you need from participants * **Context** — background that helps the AI understand the session (optional) * **Session name** — the name participants will see Methodology templates may replace the default fields with ones better suited to that method. The flow adjusts accordingly. Each field has a **Suggest** button that asks the AI to draft a value based on what you've entered so far. Click it to get a starting point, then edit it to your needs. After the fields are complete, Harmonica generates a conversational guide (the facilitation prompt) for the session. You can: * Review the generated prompt * Edit and refine it as needed * Regenerate it if you change any of the fields Set up the pre-session form participants will fill out before chatting: * Add custom questions (name, email, or custom fields) * Configure question types (short text, email, multiple choice, etc.) * Set which fields are required * Reorder questions as needed Once everything is configured, launch your session. You'll get a unique session link that you can: * Copy and share via email, messaging, or other channels * Generate a QR code for easy sharing ## Session configuration ### Objective The **objective** summarizes what you are trying to achieve through the interviews. Be clear and specific: * ✅ Good: "I want to understand user preferences on our new product features and identify which features are most valuable." * ❌ Vague: "Get feedback" ### Critical to gather **Critical to gather** specifies what kind of information or details you need from participant responses: * ✅ Good: "Participants should provide examples of their workflows or describe challenges they face when using similar products." * ❌ Vague: "Their thoughts" This helps guide the conversation to focus on gathering the qualitative insights you need from participants. ### Context **Context** provides background to help the AI understand the purpose of your session (this step is optional): * Relevant history or previous discussions * Current state of the project or topic * Any relevant constraints or considerations * Company or product background Providing good context helps the AI generate a better conversational guide and helps participants give more relevant responses. ### Session name Choose a clear, descriptive name that will be shared with participants. This helps them understand what the session is about before they join. ### Using templates The **Templates** page lists methodology templates and chain templates. Selecting a single-session methodology template pre-fills your session's fields and sets a facilitation approach matched to that method. You can still edit any field before launching. See [Templates](/guides/hosts/templates) for a full list of available types, and [Chains](/guides/hosts/chains) for multi-step chain templates. ## Inviting participants ### Sharing the session link Once your session is launched, you'll get a unique session link in the format: `/chat?s={sessionId}`. You can: * **Copy the link** - Click the "Copy link" button to copy the full URL to your clipboard * **Generate QR code** - Click "QR code" to generate a QR code that participants can scan * Share via email, messaging, or other channels The link takes participants directly to the conversation interface where they can start their guided conversational survey. ### Participant pre-session form Before participants start chatting, they'll fill out the pre-session form you configured: * Default fields: Name and Email (optional) * Custom questions you added during session creation * **Template-provided questions** — some methodology templates declare their own pre-survey fields (for example a participant's role or team). These appear automatically when you use that template, including on the first step of a chain. * Questions are shown in the order you configured ### Best practices for invitations * **Provide context**: Let participants know what the session is about and why their input matters * **Set expectations**: Mention how long the session might take * **Give a deadline**: If there's a time limit, communicate it clearly * **Follow up**: Remind participants if needed, but don't be pushy ## Managing active sessions ### Monitoring participation While a session is active, you can: * See who has joined * Monitor participation levels * View real-time contributions (depending on settings) ### Adjusting settings You can modify some session settings while it's active: * Update visibility settings * Add or remove participants * Adjust goals or context if needed Be careful when modifying active sessions, as changes may affect participants' experience or the quality of results. ## Reviewing session results After participants have contributed, Harmonica generates: ### Summary An overview of key insights synthesized from all participants' contributions. ### Session recap A detailed breakdown of the conversation, including: * Individual responses * Common themes * Unique insights ### Custom insights Additional analysis based on your session goals and the data collected. ### Similarity scores If enabled, you can see how similar or different participants' responses are. ## Regenerating after edits After you launch a session, you can keep editing its brief fields — goal, critical information, context, and topic — from the **Brief** tab inside the session overview modal. When those fields drift from what was used to generate the current facilitation prompt, a banner appears offering to regenerate. ### What gets regenerated Clicking **Regenerate** triggers a full recompose of two prompt layers: * **Facilitation Approach** — the methodology-specific instructions for the session * **Summary Generation** — how participant conversations are synthesized The recompose uses everything: your current HARMONICA.md, the active methodology template, and the updated brief fields. Before this was introduced, the cascade only used the brief fields and ignored your organizational context and template — brief edits now produce prompts that are fully coherent with your project's standing context. ### Accept vs override The regenerated layers are returned as a proposal — you review them before they are saved. If the proposal looks right, save it. If you want to adjust the wording, edit it first. If you have manually customized the Facilitation Approach with specific rules you want to keep, compare the proposal against your current version before saving. The recompose starts fresh from the brief and template; it does not attempt to preserve manual additions. ### Cross-Pollination snap During regeneration you can optionally include a **Cross-Pollination snap** — a snapshot of the themes and tensions the AI has surfaced from participant conversations so far. Including it makes the new prompt aware of what has already emerged, which is useful when you are adjusting the facilitation direction mid-session based on early responses. ### Full prompt layer details To see and edit all four prompt layers (HARMONICA.md, Platform Guidelines, Facilitation Approach, Summary Generation) in one place, open the [Session Design](/guides/hosts/session-design) tab in the session overview modal. ## Customising the participant landing When participants open your session link, they land on a welcome card before the conversation begins. You can control what they see from the **Landing** tab inside the session overview modal. ### What you can set **Welcome message** — the text shown on the welcome card. Supports markdown: use `[text](https://…)` for clickable links and bare URLs auto-link as well. Aim for a few sentences that set context and encourage participation. **Link preview description** — the short description shown when your invitation link is shared in Slack, Teams, iMessage, and similar platforms. Keep it under 160 characters. **Video intro** — an optional video embedded above the welcome card. Paste a YouTube, Google Drive, Loom, or Vimeo URL. A thumbnail chip previews your selection before you save. ### AI-drafted welcome message When you create a session, Harmonica automatically drafts a welcome message from your brief. You will see it pre-filled when you open the Landing tab. Edit it to your voice, or click **Regenerate AI copy** to produce a new draft. If you have unsaved edits, Harmonica will ask before overwriting them. ### Save All three fields save together when you click **Save** in the Landing tab's action bar. ## Organizing sessions into projects Sessions can be organized into **projects** to: * Group related sessions together * Track progress over time * Maintain context across multiple sessions * Share access with team members See our [Managing Projects](/guides/hosts/managing-projects) guide for more details. ## Best practices Clearly defined goals lead to better, more actionable insights from participants. Help participants understand the situation so they can provide relevant input. Templates can save time and ensure you're covering important aspects of common use cases. After reviewing results, consider following up with participants or creating follow-up sessions. ## Troubleshooting ### Participants can't access the session * **Check the link**: Verify the invitation link is correct and hasn't expired * **Visibility settings**: Ensure the session isn't set to private if you want external participants * **Contact support**: If issues persist, reach out to [hello@harmonica.chat](mailto:hello@harmonica.chat) ### Low participation * **Remind participants**: Sometimes a gentle reminder helps * **Clarify the value**: Make sure participants understand why their input matters * **Make it easy**: Ensure the session is accessible and the topic is clear ### Results not as expected * **Review your goals**: Make sure your session goals are clear and achievable * **Check context**: Ensure participants had enough information to provide useful responses * **Iterate**: Consider running another session with adjusted questions or context ## Next steps Edit all four prompt layers for a session Browse methodology templates and chain templates Multi-step session sequences Organize sessions into projects ## Need help? If you need assistance creating or managing sessions: * Email: [hello@harmonica.chat](mailto:hello@harmonica.chat) * Telegram: [@harmonica\_support](https://t.me/harmonica_support)