User testing is an important of our development process. When we release a new version of our Facebook app we try to get it in front of people so that we can watch how they use it. The results often yield suprises and help us refine our product and make it easier to use.
One application has made user testing much easier for us. It’s called Silverback and is made by the UX wizards at Clearleft.
A couple of weeks ago we arranged a day of user testing in our office café. The deal was this: spend a few minutes using our app while Silverback recorded your behaviour and we’ll buy you a free coffee. We emailed all the companies in our office about the offer, tweeted about it and posted an update to our Facebook fan page too.
Then we set up a very official looking testing station in the café. Over the course of the day, twenty brave volunteers showed up to be our guinea pigs. We told them briefly the purpose of the app – to help you give and receive great gifts – then we set them loose under Silverback’s beady eye.
Once the test had finished we chatted to each person about giving presents in general. For example, discussing who they give presents to and how they decide what to give.
The day yielded two hours of footage that we watched with a cold beer the next evening on Oli’s big TV. We made a tally of where users got stuck and which parts of the app could be improved. Then we added that prioritised list into Tracker to tackle for our next release!
We find this whole process vital to make sure our product roadmap is pointing in the right direction and to help us realise early if we’re wasting time on unwanted or confusing functionality.
We’d be fascinated to hear of any other startups using user testing in a similar way. And if you don’t already – we highly recommend it!
