Create a new program
Go to Activate.
Select Programs.
Select Create program.
Add a Title and Description.
Select Create program.
After creating the program, you can continue setting it up from the program page.
Title
The title is the name of your program. It appears in Activate and helps you and your team identify the program.
Choose a title that is short, clear, and specific to the topic or outcome of the program.
For example:
Leadership Foundations
Manager Onboarding
Customer Service Reset
AI Readiness Sprint
Description
The description explains what the program is about and what participants can expect to learn, practice, or achieve.
A helpful description should briefly explain:
the purpose of the program
who the program is for
what participants will do
what outcome the program supports
You can update the title and description later from the program’s Settings.
Path
The Path is the participant journey through your program. It organizes the steps participants will follow from start to finish.
Select Path to add and arrange steps such as:
Module – a section that groups related steps together
Cog – a structured, chat-like coaching guide
Link – a clickable webpage or external resource
Media – images, videos, documents, or other files
Use the path to put your content in the order participants should experience it, and view and edit messages for each step.
Messaging
View and edit messages for all of the cogs in your program. Step messages send when each cog in your program unlocks.
You can choose to disable individual step messages when you create a deployment for the program.
Welcome Slides
Share program information with participants when they visit the program for the first time.
Content slides provide the flexibility to include welcome copy, guidance, and/or context.
The Profile slide allows participants to upload a profile photo for the program.
Cogs
Cogs are interactive coaching guides inside your program. They are made up of prompts that guide participants through a chat-like experience.
Use cogs to:
introduce a topic
ask questions
invite reflection
collect responses
share insights
support learning or behavior change
To add a cog, add a Cog step in the path, then select Add Cog. You can create a new cog or select an existing cog.
If you add an existing cog from another program, Activate creates a copy of that cog and adds it to the current program.
Variables
Variables help you capture and use participant responses in your program. Some prompt types can create variables based on participant input.
Use the Variables area to review the variables in your program and check which responses are available for analytics.
ℹ️ Want to track participant responses in analytics? Give the associated variable a clear, descriptive label and select Show in analytics where available.
Media
Use Media to manage the images, videos, documents, and other files used in your program.
Media can support your program by giving participants:
videos to watch
documents to read or download
images that explain an idea
resources that support a task or activity
You can add media as a step in the path or use media inside other program content where available.
Settings
Use Settings to manage the main details of your program.
Depending on your program, settings may include:
program title
program description
thumbnail image
background image
other program-level details
Review your settings before launching a deployment so the program is clearly presented to participants.
What to do next
After creating and setting up your program, create a deployment to share it with participants.
A deployment connects your program to an audience and controls when participants can access the program.