Measure response latency

A latency target measures how quickly the learner responds after you give an instruction, for example how long it takes to look at you after you say their name. Each run is one measurement: a time in seconds, or no response. ABACare compares the time with the threshold your BCBA set and marks the run as within the threshold or over it.

Before you start

• The session must be In Progress and the target in the Active phase. For a target in generalization or maintenance, see Collect data during a session.
• BCBAs measure latency in the web app only.

Time the response

Web Mobile

Web

Select Collect Data, then Target, tick the latency target and select Continue.

1. Check the Latency Threshold and the Mastery Criteria. When your BCBA set the target to count different days, the criteria read in days, for example ≤ 5s for 3 consecutive days.
2. Give the instruction and select Start Timer.
3. Select Response when the learner responds, or No Response if they do not.
4. The result shows Met Threshold or Exceeded Threshold, or No Response. Add a comment under Notes if needed.
5. Select Save Data.

If you timed the response another way, type it in Measured Latency under Manual Adjustments, or tick Mark as No Response. To time again, select Retry, then record a new time before you save: saving right after Retry records no response.

Open full-size image

Mobile

Swipe to the latency target. If it already has a run, tap the + icon on its summary to start a new one.

The page shows the Threshold and the Mastery Criteria, in consecutive days when the target counts different days.

1. Give the instruction and tap Start Timer.
2. Tap Response when the learner responds, or No Response if they do not. The timer turns green within the threshold, red over it, and grey for no response.
3. Add a comment under Notes (Optional) if needed.
4. Tap Review & Save. Review Latency Data shows the time and Pass, Fail or no response.
5. Tap Save Data.

The page switches to the summary of the saved run. To time again before saving, tap Reset & Try Again and confirm with Reset; this also clears your notes.

Good to know

• Times are recorded to a tenth of a second.
• The mobile timer keeps running while you look at another target, and that time counts. Stay on the target until the learner responds.
• An unsaved measurement stays on the phone until you save it or reset it. Submitting the session does not save it and does not warn you, and it shows up again the next time you open the same target, even in a later session.
• If a save fails, the measurement stays so you can try again.

What happens next

• The run appears with its time and whether it was within the threshold: in the target's summary on the phone and on the session's Data card on the web.
• For more measurements in the same session, add another run for each: see Collect data during a session.

Related guides

• Collect data during a session
• Time a duration target
• Correct my data during a session
• Review recent collections for a target