do-it-yourself series
Testing always helps, and even the worst test with the wrong user will show you important things you can do to improve your site.
Steve Krug Dont Make Me Think
Do-it-Yourself User Testing
Get big customer insights for little (or no) cost
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Do-it-Yourself User Testing
Get big customer insights for little (or no) cost
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every year companies spend billions of dollars developing new products and services for the web, only to launch them to an indifferent reception, or worse. most of these struggling products share at least one thing in common: their teams didnt get customer feedback early in the design process. if you think its too costly or time-consuming to involve your customers in the design process, think again. The cost of excluding them can be much higher. research shows that correcting problems when a product is in development costs 10 times as much as fixing the same problem in design. if the product is already in the marketplace, it costs 100 times as much relative to fixing it in design (gilb, 1988). And thats just the financial cost. if youre like most internet executives, you see the value of testing early with customers, but you just dont have the time or the budget to do so. heres how you can test on your own quickly and still get insights that will put you on the path to success.
When?
Its never too early to listen to your customers There are many creative ways to get feedback and insights from your customers during the design process. for example: o Show customers your early page designs on paper, before they are built, to get their reactions o observe customers using your current website to get impressions of their experience and uncover pain points o Watch customers use your competitors sites or products to see what they think works and what doesnt o if you are redesigning a process (e.g. a registration form or shopping cart), review any new steps with your customers to see if they are easy to understand
mike Kuniavsky observing the User experience
When you know what problems people have, you are much less likely to create solutions that address the wrong problem, or worse, no problem at all.
Who?
Small groups of customers can produce big insights You dont need to show your ideas to a large group of customers. in fact, getting feedback from just a handful of customers early can be more valuable than asking dozens later in the development process. A small sample size of six to eight customers is usually a good target for testing. ideally, youll speak to members of your target audience, especially if you are creating a niche product. but if your new site is for a broad audience, showing your ideas to anyone, even your neighbor or your Uncle max, can uncover important insights.
Do-iT-YoUrSelf USer TeSTing: geT big cUSTomer inSighTS for liTTle (or no) coST modus Associates, llc [Link]
Where?
You dont need a formal testing lab if you are conducting a full-scale usability test late in the product development cycle, we recommend using a testing facility where you can track users reaction in a systematic way. but for testing user reactions early in the design process, the conference room down the hall will work just fine. All you need is a table, a chair, a moderator and a test subject. Just make sure you audiotape the proceedings or have a colleague take notes to share with your design team later.
What?
A simple sketch will do You dont need to show your customers a fully-designed and functioning web site in order to get their reaction to it. in fact, reviewing a simple sketch or paper prototype is often all you need to garner important and sometimes surprising insights. Paper prototypes are especially useful for: o Sharing new navigation schemes and naming conventions to find out if they are intuitive o Testing new features or changes to existing features, like a search form or shopping cart, to see if they make things better or worse
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how?
Leave your assumptions at the door The process of validating design decisions and collecting feedback from customers is called a design walkthrough. The technique typically involves using a paper prototype, however, it can also be conducted with a functioning prototype or parts of a website that are fully developed. A design walkthrough involves taking a group of participants through website designs using real-life user scenarios or tasks. Participants are asked to specify the actions they would take on each page and to make comments about the usability and usefulness of each page. The trick here is not to over-guide your participants. give them a general idea of what the site or product is for, or describe a scenario or objective for them, then let them respond as they would when using a real website on their own. Youll want to develop a script in advance to ensure consistency from one participant to the next. once youve gathered insights from your customers, it is time to analyze and act upon them. You may uncover a showstopper that requires you to radically alter the course of your product. more likely, you will come away with a list of important refinements and improvements. The most important thing is to capture and share those insights with your design team so they can act upon them.
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examples of paper prototypes
Do-iT-YoUrSelf USer TeSTing: geT big cUSTomer inSighTS for liTTle (or no) coST modus Associates, llc [Link]
Why?
Customer involvement makes better products involving your customers early in the design process lets you encounter roadblocks and surprises at a time when you can correct them nimbly and inexpensively. its the most effective way to ensure that your products will be valued and used by the people theyre intended for. Any effort you make to get customer feedback, no matter how small and informal, will save you time, money and possibly embarrassment in the long run.
Additional resources
BookS > Observing the User Experience: A Common Sense Approach to Web Usability by mike Kuniavsky > Dont Make Me Think by Steve Krug > Paper Prototyping by carolyn Snyde
Do-iT-YoUrSelf USer TeSTing: geT big cUSTomer inSighTS for liTTle (or no) coST modus Associates, llc [Link]
ABouT ModuS ASSoCIATeS modus Associates helps global brand leaders and visionary start-ups to more fully realize the business potential of the digital age, where customers rule, connectivity is everywhere, and creating value for profit and social impact is the name of the game. clients include nbc Universal, SiriUS Satellite radio, Wyndham hotel group, Sony corporation, coldwell banker real estate corporation and comcast. modus Associates is located in new York city and on the web at [Link]. Contact us modus Associates 37 West 20th Street, Suite 304 new York, nY 10011 Tel: 212-255-6768 fax: 212-255-6264 info@[Link] [Link]
Do-iT-YoUrSelf USer TeSTing: geT big cUSTomer inSighTS for liTTle (or no) coST modus Associates, llc [Link]