Product Management

Monday, February 10, 2020
3:30-5:00
 

Guests: Janelle Estes, Usertesting.com

 

Assignment
No product can be tested too often! Last session, we focused specifically on the onboarding process to think about the longtime stickiness of your products. Now, let’s zoom out a bit and think more broadly about testing other assumptions and theories about use of your application. We will be doing LIVE testing in class using testers from usertesting.com. 

 

Before next session, your team should discuss what type of test you want to do with an audience via Usertesting.com. Consider testing one of the following possible scenarios:

1. Online prototype of your app or some part of it - Invision or g-doc OK (proto.io not supported)

2. Alternative / competitive site you want to learn from

3. Questions for which you want objective feedback.

 

By Monday, Feb 10 at 10:00am: 

1. Post a brief test approach (g-doc preferred) to the Assignment Master in the February 10 - User Testing tab. Include in the document linked to the Assignment Master the following:

   1. 1-2 paragraphs citing the type of test you will do in our session, including desired learnings.

   2. Demographic filters for the test participants

   3. Screener questions to be input in UserTesting.com.

   4. Steps B and C can be written format or screenshots from the flow in UserTesting.com (see below).

2. At least one team member per team must register with your .edu email address on usertesting.com using this link. 

3. Once registered, create a new unmoderated study and navigate to the “Select Your Audience” module. (Screenshots of this flow are below.)

4. Within the “Select your Audience” module, create demographic filters and screener questions (if necessary) to locate your target audience on the panel. Watch this video for best practices. You will need to be registered and logged in to view the video. 

5. Do not fill out the “Build your Study” module or launch your study. You will get a promo code in class. We will do this step in class together.

 

Required Reading

• Why You Only Need to Test with 5 Users, Jakob Nielsen

• User testing v. usability testing: the recurring mix-up, Lindsay Burke, Fresh Tilled Soil

• (for fun) Why You Should Test Your Mobile App With Drunk People, Fast Company

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Recommended Reading (books)

• Observing The User Experience

• Don’t Make Me Think

• The Design of Everyday Things

Session Prep

Come to class with…

• Laptops - Each team should have at least one laptop to conduct their test.

• Your test plan for this session (from above) and related questions. We don’t expect you to get it right on your first try! :)

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Three teams will be selected for critiques in this session. Selected teams will be notified before Friday, Feb 7.
 

Screenshots on how to set up a new undermodated study and navigate to the  “Select Your Audience” module.

Screen 1: Select New → Unmoderated test

 

 

Screen 2: Select what you’d like to get feedback on. If you aren’t sure, just select the website option for now.

 

Screen 3: Choose the “Select Audience” module.

 

Screen 4: Use filters and screener questions to locate your target audience on our panel. Watch the best practices video before filling this out.

 

 

Part Two Assignment (also posted in Canvas as a separate assignment):

In our Feb 10 session, you will learn how to conduct tests using usertesting.com. Each team will receive codes to conduct up to four tests for free using the platform. 

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By Friday, February 14, at 5pm, post a link in the Assignment Master tab "Feb 14 - Usertest Videos" to at least one of your team's testing videos. It can be a tester from the one your team launched in the Feb 10 session, or a follow-up test. We can score additional free tests if needed, so don't be shy! Take advantage of this great service