7 Tips to do users test.

Doing user tests to your design solutions can bring great insights.

Published in
3 min readJul 24, 2019

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I remember when I started to do it. It was amazing to see how users interact with the interface that you designed, see what is working and with what elements they are struggling, that’s only watching the user doing the test.

Then we hear the feedback from the user, again so powerful to put into the minds of our target users and know what they think.

Users tests can be useful for design and for business.

These tests can be performed remotely or in-person — I suggest you do both.

Let see some tips that can improve your next user tests:

1. Set a comfortable environment for your user.

This is more important in person, the user needs to feel comfortable. The overall environment needs to be without distractions.

2. Only essentials people.

A good number of people in the room for doing the test (from the side of the owner’s test) are two — one for conducting the interview and other for taking notes of relevant insights.

3. Stablish a good amount of time.

The standard for user tests part from 30 minutes to 1 hour, setting this time will give you enough space for delays in the user to start the test and in average the best feedback from the user comes in the last part of the test so don’t be in rush will give the user and you calm to finish the test.

4. Make sure that your user understands that they are not being evaluated.

This will give them confidence, they need to know that the test is not about them, instead it is for the product in general and overall feedback of the solution.

5. Any feedback is valuable.

Tell your user that any feedback will be valuable, any thoughts that they might have of the product are important, that communicates what they think will happen when they open a section or anything.

6. The quality of the answers most of the time will depend on the quality of your questions.

Do poor questions and you will receive poor answers, try to avoid close questions that will result in “yes” and “no”. Instead, approach open questions like “why” and “what” these will make the user express more for an answer — and this is the value of user testing.

7. Ending with an open question.

Finalize your test asking the user if the app could have any feature, what would be? This is a great question to know which direction to go further and to consider the next features.

With these 7 tips, you will have a better user test and insights.

You have to be aware that though users test brings great insights and subjects that may don’t be considered before, when the test results success they will not guarantee you that the solution will succeed in the real-world — so you can’t put all your hands in the test result.

To be sure what can success and what can fail you need to launch, launch to the production phase, to the final product, and fast — this is the only way to be sure what works and what doesn’t.

I hope you found these tips interesting, if you have one that might be great to know, comment it below 👍🏻

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Product designer, in love with digital products and how they can improve lives. Know more of my design journal at designbyandres.xyz