You're about to start a session with a client. What do you need to do to be sure you're ready to have a successful session (at the very minimum)?

• A. You can probably just wing it. You're pretty good at this, after all, and your memory is amazing.
• B. You should know the responses and their response definitions that you will be measuring during your session. In addition, you must be prepared to take data - clickers, notepaper and a pencil, whatever you need, make sure you have it!
• C. A cup of coffee is all anyone really needs - if anyone tells you elsewise, they're a liar or a tea-drinker.
• D. Before the session, conduct a functional behavioral assessment and an informal preference assessment. Following that, draft a treatment plan while the client plays with an iPad.

Answer: (B)

Being ready for a session means you know exactly which behaviors you will measure and you have the data-collection tools ready. You must know the target responses and how each will be defined so you can identify them consistently during the session. Being prepared to collect data—whether with clickers, notepaper, or a pencil—ensures you record accurate, immediate measurements and can-track progress across sessions.

This supports reliable measurement and data-based decision making, which are central to the effectiveness of any intervention. Options that rely on guessing, casual prep, or performing assessments during the session don’t provide the structured readiness needed for a successful session.