KaneSimms.com

10 User Tes)ng Tips To Help You Design Stuff Be8er

OK, so you’ve created

something

OK, so you’ve created

somethingContent

OK, so you’ve created

somethingContent

Website

OK, so you’ve created

somethingContent

Website

App

OK, so you’ve created

somethingContent

Website

App

Form

Now how do you know it works for your customers?

If it doesn’t work, they won’t use it

If they don’t use it, you lose

If they don’t use it, you lose

Before you launch (and while

you develop)…

You need…

user tes)ng

So here’s 10 )ps to help you find

great insights

that you can use to design stuff

be8er

to improve the user experience of your products

1. Use enough people

How many is enough?

1. Use enough people

Tes)ng with 5 users

Finds 80% of issues

Tes)ng with 5 users

So how many is enough?

5

2. Use genuine users

You might use friends, family

and colleagues…

Some)mes

Only if you’re tes)ng the basics

of something new

Colleagues have insider

knowledge

They’re too close to your company

and product

They won’t have a truly objec)ve

view

And they’ll overlook things

or use workarounds

Use genuine customers

instead

They’re honest

They’re truly objec)ve

So you’ll learn more from them

3. Be prepared

Have a reliable internet

connec)on

Have equipment that people can

actually use

These might struggle using a mac

If using a laptop…

Take a separate mouse and keyboard

And find a quiet space

4. Test an end-to-end user journey

There’s nothing worse than watching someone interact

with a product…

That lacks the basic features needed to complete a task.

This get users frustrated.

They lose confidence in your product, hesitate and stop

ac)ng naturally.

When that happens…

You’ve lost them.

So make sure you’ve got a

working journey

5. Put subjects at ease

We’re not tes)ng people’s ability

We’re tes)ng the thing we assume

is useful

You’ll get more from them if

they’re comfortable

6. Observe

The aim isn’t for you to take

part

It’s to observe how users

behave and interact

Resist the tempta)on to get

involved

It’s all about the user

7. Don’t put words in people’s mouth

Should we

move that?

Should we make it

red?

What about

a map?Would a

bigger bu8on

help?

What if this said that?

How about a blog?

People won’t imagine it the

way you describe it

And how you describe it might

not be how it works in prac)ce

Them telling you is more valuable than you feeding

them

Resist sugges)ng

Just make the change and do more tes)ng

8. Don’t give hintsNEXT

When users hit trouble, it’s hard not to help.

Just scroll

down!

But you’ve got to let them struggle

It emphasises the extent of the

problem

and makes for sterling evidence

9. Don’t defend what you’re tes)ng

They don’t need to know why the design is like it is

They don’t need to know about your internal

poli)cs

They don’t need to know about

your back office systems

They don’t care

If you keep defending, they’ll

stop sharing

Just let them air their thoughts

You’ll get more insights that way

10. Record the evidence

Recording your session will help

you…

Document learning

Gather baseline data

Prove your point to steak holders

Secure further tes)ng

You’ll need: • Laptop • Webcam • Mic • Screen recording sokware

BONUS TIP Ask open ques)ons

Try to avoid ques)ons that prompt ‘yes’ or

‘no’ answers

Ask ques)ons that encourage

your user to share

Can you explain your thoughts on…?

Is there a par)cular reason why you did…?

What are you thinking right now?

How does this make you feel?

Thanks

KaneSimms.com