The Countdown Timer is a timer that will count down to zero from a preset time. This instrument is generally used together with another measurement, e.g. count, or as a general timer.
To access this instrument you need to choose "advanced" for your target interface.
You will set the desired time, whether you want the alarm to sound when the countdown is complete and if you want the timer to affect your outcome and graph or raw data only. Typically it is the other measurement, e.g. count, that generates the data you want to graph and you set the countdown timer to "raw data only".
You click on the play button to begin the countdown. You can toggle the alarm on and off by pushing the bell icon. To reset the timer, push the reverse arrow or you can simply tap in the box to type in a number manually.
Combine Countdown Timer with Other Instruments
You can combine the countdown timer with other instruments such as duration and count in the event you have a program that only requires data collection for a certain period of time. Example: You want to track how many times your learner socially engages with another learner (count) during a 10 minute period (countdown timer). You can start the timer and collect data as it occurs. Once the alarm for the timer goes off, the staff knows to stop collecting data on the target. The data collection interface looks like this:
Note: If you combine two instruments, it is important to only have one selected as "Affects Outcome & Graph". In this scenario, it would be best to have "count" as the instrument that affects the outcome of the success of the target and set the countdown timer to "Raw Data Only".
Updated 9/22/26 by Alexandra Ahlgren