How to Use

FCE is baseline-relative: it compares you to your own normal performance. This page explains a safe, repeatable workflow.

“Single sessions are signals. Trends and repeatability matter more.”
Baseline Check Training History-first Refusal protects
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Quick start

New to FCE? Start with How the tests work for simple procedural instructions.

Before you start

If you want the full explanation of what FCE is (and what it is not), read: Concept and Scope & Limits.

Step 1 — Choose one device and stay consistent

  • Use the same device and input method (touch vs mouse) for baseline and checks
  • Close other demanding apps/tabs if possible
  • Try to test in similar conditions (seated, stable posture, minimal distractions)

Device changes can produce differences that look like performance changes.

Step 2 — Build a baseline (3–5 sessions)

Baseline is your personal reference range. Build it under normal conditions.

  • Run Baseline sessions on days that feel typical
  • Aim for 3–5 usable baseline sessions per test type
  • If a session is marked “Not usable”, repeat later

Baseline is not a “best score”. It’s the distribution that represents your normal variability.

Step 3 — Use “Check” for comparisons

“Check” compares today’s performance against your baseline.

  • Use Check when you want a baseline-relative signal
  • Interpret the result together with History (trend > one session)
  • Context fields (sleep/stress/note) are metadata only — they do not change scoring

Step 4 — Use “Training” to practice (no baseline updates)

Training mode is for learning the tasks and reducing practice effects.

  • Training sessions never update baseline
  • Use training if you are new to a task, or returning after a long break
  • Once you feel stable, switch to Baseline again

How to read results over time

FCE is designed for comparison across sessions, not for drawing conclusions from a single run. One session reflects performance at that moment only.

Meaningful use comes from observing trends over time — such as repeated stability, gradual change, or consistent deviation from your own baseline.

Avoid interpreting a single session in isolation. If a result looks unusual, retesting under similar conditions is recommended.

How to interpret results safely

  • Prefer history over one-offs: check patterns across multiple sessions
  • Look at stability: mean (average) and SD (variability) together
  • Respect refusal: “Not usable” protects you from misinterpretation
  • Do not infer causes: deviation can come from many sources

If you need definitions for Mean and SD, see the FAQ.

When to retest

  • If you were interrupted or distracted
  • If you clicked before the task was ready
  • If results look inconsistent with how you feel
  • If the session is marked “Not usable”

Retesting is normal. The goal is a clean signal, not forcing a result.

Institutional note (read carefully)

FCE is a functional measurement tool and is intentionally limited. It does not diagnose, does not detect substances, and does not produce automated decisions.

If explored in institutional settings, usage should remain voluntary, transparent, and human-interpreted.