You might have heard about how usability testing is all the rage these days. But, you’re a 2-person startup working out of a garage (or, more likely: a coffee shop in the Mission). Resources are tight, time is of the essence, and you wouldn’t even know where to find a UX Researcher if you wanted.
Bummer!
Lucky for you, there are quick, simple ways you can get up-and-running with user testing.
Here is a breakdown on why you should user test, when you should user test, and how you can run one quickly, cheaply, and effectively.
Why user test?
As product makers, it’s easy to get tied to what you’re building. When you look at your website (or app) day in and day out, you quickly lose perspective because of your deep familiarity with the product. It’s hard to see your product as a first-time user would. Features that seem blatant and obvious to you might be completely hidden to visitors to your website. Essentially, you lose beginner’s mind.
A usability test is one of the best tools you have at your disposal to see how new users react to your product. By running a user test, you can reduce development/design time and costs, increase conversion, and increase user satisfaction. Here are just some of the benefits of usability testing:
- Hear how users viscerally respond to your product while they’re using it
- Identify major usability flaws
- Determine the effectiveness of your messaging/copy
- Improve conversion flows
- Observe bugs/quirks of your website in different browsers that you might not have tested (**cough* Internet Explorer *cough**)