practical ux: the importance of user-testing
DESCRIPTION
This was a lecture delivered to computer science students on the importance of user-testing. I use the example of Pitch Perfect, our SaaS startup, and how our delay in performing user-testing cost us more time and money than we saved skipping the testing.TRANSCRIPT
Practical UX Methods
@kylerackikyleracki.comOct 8th, 2013
Who am I...
Designer/DeveloperCo-founder of headspacedesign.caCo-founder of pitchperfectapp.com
Love SaaS startups
What is Pitch Perfect...
Not this
Proposal software
Where the idea came from
Who it’s for
What we’re up against
• Similar SaaS apps first to market• Difficult to raise capital
The road to get here.
• Prototype in 2012• Funded in Jan 2013• In beta since April 2013• Over 200 signups to-date• 3 paying customers (as of yesterday)
The problem
• Usability testing should have begun earlier• System was not QA tested• Remote meant I couldn’t adapt test
Where we went wrong
• Limited customer research• Not knowing what users really want
We thought they were:• Advertising and marketing agencies
We thought they wanted• Complete design customization
Survey post-beta
“More kick-butt templates that make it easy for me to pop in my content and look like a pro. Simply put, make me look like a rockstar with the least amount of effort on my end.”
What they really want
1. Quick set up2. Pre-made design templates3. Ability to import their content3. Re-brandable
All of the above while at the same time being so easy to use...
These guys could use it
Back to the graph paper
High-fidelity version
What am I missing?
Step 1. Who are my user personas?
1. Account manager/Sales rep2. Entrepreneur/Small business owner
Step 2. Go where the people are.
ScreeningQuestions
AnalyzeResults
Step 3. Preparation
• What is the goal of the testing?• Scenarios• Line up user tasks with testing goals
Do a practice run with family
Step 4. Conducting the sessions
• Make participant comfortable• Record the screen (Screenflow)• They aren't being tested• Confirm recording• Give incentive up-front
Clarissa
• Good tester• Graphic designer by profession
Aaron
• Less web savvy
Anuj
• Not an ideal tester• Not verbally expressive• Computer science student
Compiling the results
Sharing with the team
Key usability issues
● Understanding sections vs pages, and how to save to library
● Understanding advanced settings vs themes● Knowing how to drag in/import sections from
library● Understanding how to edit page template,
add footer, cover page etc.
Product Evolution
Next steps
User test revised prototype
Test working version after QA but before release
Become this guy
Key Lessons
Test-early, test-often is not simply best practice or “ideal in a perfect world”. It’s critical to designing a successful product and can make or break a company.
User-testing is not beta-testing, QA-testing or sending a link with survey questions. Only user-testing will uncover key insights related to specific usability problems.
Key Lessons
Focus on the onboarding process first, and deliver the ‘wow’ moment the first time someone uses the software
You can’t test everything. Align the following:• Pain• Value Prop• Features <- test these first
Suggested reading.
Thank you.
@kyleracki
kyleracki.compitchperfectapp.comheadspacedesign.ca