Updated USAT+ handbook page for FY27 Q1

The first collection launched in FY2026 Q1, building on the operational approach from the previous USAT survey while introducing changes including prize draw incentives, an expanded question set, and enhanced email templates. The originally planned FY2026 Q3 collection was skipped due to a need to prioritize other surveys.

The next collection is scheduled for FY2027 Q1, maintaining consistent methodology to establish a reliable baseline before future iterations.

The next collection is scheduled for FY2027 Q3, maintaining consistent methodology to establish a reliable baseline before future iterations.

### Current workflow

### Target participants and recruitment approach

USAT+ targets paid SaaS users (GitLab.com Premium and Ultimate tiers), with sampling designed to represent our active user base across different plan types and user tenures and maintain sufficient sample sizes for reliable segment analysis. USAT+ uses a targeted sampling approach to ensure representative data while managing survey fatigue. We aim for **384 total responses** with plan type proportions matching our user population (±3%).

USAT+ targets paid SaaS users (GitLab.com Premium and Ultimate tiers) and self-managed users (Premium and Ultimate tiers), with sampling designed to represent our active user base across different plan types and user tenures and maintain sufficient sample sizes for reliable segment analysis.

Survey invitations are sent to paid GitLab.com users across Premium and Ultimate plan types who haven't been contacted in the previous 12 months. Users are selected using Snowflake queries to ensure we're targeting active users with recent product experience.

Survey invitations are sent to paid GitLab users across Premium and Ultimate plan types who haven't been contacted in the previous 12 months. SaaS users are selected using Snowflake queries to ensure we're targeting active users with recent product experience. Self-managed lists of users come from our Customer Experience team.

To prevent survey fatigue, the UX Research team coordinates USAT+ timing with Research Operations and Customer Success teams across the organization conducting large-scale surveys, communicating the data collection schedule at least one month in advance.

To prevent survey fatigue, the UX Research team coordinates USAT+ timing with Research Operations and Customer Experience teams across the organization conducting large-scale surveys, communicating the data collection schedule at least one month in advance.

Eligible users are invited through email waves of approximately 5,000 users each, scheduled Monday-Friday at 8-9am Eastern Time to maximize visibility. Responses are collected over a four to six week window and incentivized through a prize draw.

Eligible users are invited through email waves of approximately 5,000 users each, scheduled Monday-Friday at 8-9am Eastern Time to maximize visibility. Responses are collected over a four week window and incentivized through a prize draw.

### Data collection process

At the beginning of each quarter, the UX Research DRI will generate a list of eligible users to distribute the USAT+ survey through the following steps:

1. Generate a new list of paid GitLab.com users to contact by using the following [query](https://docs.google.com/document/d/1XSABfApXJY_VHm7Q9j4V64xsMNkSorb5SWcLn-b4Tfk/edit?usp=sharing) in Snowflake. Query for approximately 40,000 user IDs and email addresses. Note: You will need access to Snowflake and SAFE data to query the data tables in this step. If you do not have access to one or both, please create an [Access Request issue](/handbook/security/corporate/end-user-services/access-requests/#individual-or-bulk-access-request).

2. Create a list of users you've compiled in step 1 within the [USAT+ user Google Sheet template](https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1y9cedI2uoHNaoZ1IgXkH7CB0fecvlg-RGsJp_mihpEI/edit#gid=0) to track contacts for the quarter.

3. Remove users that were contacted more than 12 months ago from [the list of previously contacted users](https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1Q9xOh5L9QJGdW9tq89rcADvo5jozRxdo7KiO2z0HLAU/edit#gid=0).

4. Create a copy of the sheet containing the users you will contact this quarter and insert it in the [CSM / UXR Survey Participants Google Drive Folder](https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1ecM1ptkaNfNA0Im9wHulcl64QrCBOybQ). Contact the Customer Success team, so can avoid contacting the same users in their Customer Satisfaction (CSAT) survey.

2. Contact the Customer Experience team to coordinate on related survey efforts to prevent contacting the same users across both programs.

3. Create a list of users you've compiled in step 1 in a new Rally project and upload the list of user contacts to the project to track contacts for the quarter.

4. Remove users that were contacted more than 12 months ago by using project/study filters in Rally. This avoids contacting users from other USAT+ Rally projects.

5. Calculate the [proportions by plan type](https://10az.online.tableau.com/#/site/gitlab/views/DraftTDLicensedUsersbyProductRatePlanName/TDLicensedUsersbyProductRatePlanName?:iid=1) for the current quarter. Add these percentages to the user list to help calculate how many users for each plan type you need to invite. The end goal is to achieve a sample breakdown that roughly matches the population's breakdown (+/- 3%). Note: You will need access to Tableau and SAFE data to view the link in this step. If you do not have access to one or both, please create an [Access Request issue](/handbook/security/corporate/end-user-services/access-requests/#individual-or-bulk-access-request).

6. Create a new project in Rally UXR and upload the list of user contacts to the project.

##### Sending an email wave

4. Create a new email distribution using the `USAT+ survey template` email in Rally.

5. Send the email distribution. Typically emails are scheduled to go out Monday - Friday early in the morning US time (8 - 9am Eastern Time) with the goal of maximizing visibility and responses.

Once all email waves have been sent and you've hit the sample size goal for the quarter, add the user IDs and email addresses that were used this quarter to the [previously contacted sheet](https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1Q9xOh5L9QJGdW9tq89rcADvo5jozRxdo7KiO2z0HLAU/edit#gid=0), noting the quarter they were contacted. This allows us to avoid contacting the same users too frequently.

#### Data analysis

Data analysis consists of two components: quantitative analysis and open response coding.

### Operational refinement

After the first data collection, we observed an unexpected 16-percentage-point increase in satisfaction scores compared to historical USAT data. An investigation revealed that methodology changes (including the introduction of sweepstakes incentives, expanded question set, enhanced email templates, and survey structure modifications) likely contributed to this increase alongside potential product improvements.

After the first data collection, we observed an unexpected increase in satisfaction scores compared to historical USAT data. An investigation revealed that methodology changes (including the introduction of sweepstakes incentives, expanded question set, enhanced email templates, and survey structure modifications) likely contributed to this increase alongside potential product improvements.

Given this finding, we've decided to maintain consistent methodology across the next collection cycle (FY2027 Q1) to establish a reliable baseline. This allows us to distinguish genuine shifts in user satisfaction from methodological variations before making further refinements. This includes keeping survey structure and page layout, question wording and order, incentive strategy, email templates and timing, and response collection windows consistent.

Given this finding, we've decided to maintain consistent methodology across the future collection cycles to establish a reliable baseline. This allows us to distinguish genuine shifts in user satisfaction from methodological variations before making further refinements. This includes keeping survey structure and page layout, question wording and order, incentive strategy, email templates and timing, and response collection windows consistent.

In parallel, the UX Research team is actively standardizing and improving USAT+ operations through the USAT+ Process Refinement initiative. This work focuses on standardizing templates for survey administration, analysis, and reporting; enhancing data quality checks and AI/bot detection; optimizing sampling strategies and recruitment workflows; improving stakeholder coordination and insights delivery; and conducting accessibility audits and refining analysis scripts.

### USAT+ reports

- [FY27 Q1 Report](https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1HCnNnN8FEYCOJC3EOtPyVFjXU1Dj97GbI7bcZOZ1-OE/edit?usp=sharing)

- [FY26 Q1 Report](https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1fA1GSxKmEMu42CBr5cD47uKPFCq7vIfQrKj2Eks0pOU/edit?usp=drive_link) - First USAT+ data collection

### Historical survey reports