We’ve all heard that creating better UX means having a test group, but sometimes that just doesn’t work out so well.
Sometimes it’s difficult to get beta testers for a project. After all, many people don’t want to volunteer their time when their schedules are so busy. And if there isn’t a budget for testers, you’re left up the UX creek without any testers to help paddle.
Of course, that doesn’t mean we should just give up. There are other ways. It just means getting a little more creative in the testing process.
Thorough User Research
As this Nielsen Norman Group article reminds us, UX is nothing without user research. Before we even start a project, we have to do thorough user research. It doesn’t matter if we have a test group or not. We still have to understand the user before we start anything. Creating better UX without a test group means we have to do some more in-depth research. That’s okay, though. It just means we’ll understand the users even better than they do themselves.
Test As A Team
UX design isn’t something we should do alone. Sure, there are some cons to collaborative problem solving when it comes to UX, but the pros far outweigh those. One of the keys to creating better UX is working as a team. It’s insanely difficult to fully understand the target user alone. This is why it’s helpful to get feedback from different viewpoints. Working together provides a much better view of the end user versus working alone.
It’s always a good idea to get each member of the team to create their own user persona. It’s a great way to see how everyone else views the target user. When all of those are put together, it gives a clearer, more detailed image of who the end user is and what they want most.
Ask The Client To Help
We may not have a test group, but that doesn’t mean the client can’t do their part in helping out. We keep the client in the loop on everything else, so use them as a tester. In fact, have them gather a few people themselves to test. At the very least, it gives us insight into actual usage and any glaring bugs in the project. After all, if the client wants it done right, then they should be involved.
Surprisingly, all it really takes is five people to test UX. Between a team of UX designers, the client and a few people on the client’s team, five is an easy number to achieve.
Become The Target User
This advice sounds more like some cheesy 80s movie where the protagonist is trying to overcome some incredible obstacle. However, there’s a reason so many of us were inspired by those movies. The advice and lessons worked. So, we could just throw up our hands and quit when we can’t get a test group together. Or, we could dive into our research and work to become the target user.
Instead of just relying on others to tell us how they think, we learn to think like the user. We become the user persona and test the design ourselves. Creating better UX starts by changing our mindset. We could think like we normally do or start thinking like the person we’re designing for.
Go To The People
We always seem to think of beta testers as this group that’s secluded in a room, thoroughly testing a product, app or website. Come to think of it, that doesn’t exactly sound like fun. We don’t need a test group, though they are useful. Instead, we should go to the people. After all, aren’t we supposed to provide better UX? Let’s start by making the testing phase an easier experience for them.
Where does the end user like to go? Take a prototype or wireframe to give users something to try out or look at. Getting little bits of feedback at a time from random people that match your user persona works just as well as a dedicated test group. Plus, we get to experience the end user’s experience in their own environment, where they’re much more likely to give an honest opinion.
Creating better UX means thinking outside the box. So, don’t give up if you don’t have testers. Just think outside the norm and you’ll still be able to test and improve UX.
Images: Dane Deaner, Annie Splatt, Toa Heftiba