Product Discovery Techniques #3: Prototyping & Testing
This is the third article of the Product Discovery Techniques series. (Here is the first article on Inspiration and the second on Ideation)
Product Discovery
Let’s, first remember what Discovery was about. Discovery has three major parts.
- Inspiration: Learn as much as possible as fast as possible.
- Ideation: Generate as many ideas as possible as fast as possible.
- Testing: Iterate as much as possible as fast as possible.
The main purpose of Discovery is to make sure that we are going to be Defining & Designing the right thing. Discovery ensures (as much as possible) we’re working on the right thing because it;
- Provides us with a 360 view on the problem
- Helps us consider as many solution alternatives as possible
- Enables us to remove biases through collaboration and testing
Testing
Why Testing Matters
First and foremost, testing matters because we don’t know anything. OK, I’m exaggerating but we really don’t know much. We don’t know if we are solving a real problem and how relevant it is. We mitigate this risk with Inspiration activities.
Then, we don’t know if we have the optimal solution in terms of usability and feasibility. We don’t know what other problems our new solution brings with itself, either. Most of what we think we know are nothing but assumptions. Testing is the best way to learn things and validate assumptions since there are no books written about our very own problems.
One might think: “Can’t we just look what’s out there and improve it? Wouldn’t this automagically make us better?”
The reasoning behind this common idea stems from the fact that most products in the same domain look quite similar. An e-commerce site requires listing, product detail and checkout at a minimum. Or photo sharing across different social media platforms do not differ significantly. From an end user perspective, yes they look similar. However, they feel different. The copy, the speed, the use of motion… all these little details come together to create the experience. We can’t design great products if we don’t dive deep into the details. Why? Because as the famous designer of famous (I used famous twice. This should increase credibility.) Eames Chairs, Charles Eames puts it:
The details are not the details. They make the design.
The Almighty Bullet Points
- There is no such thing as bad testing. The worst testing is better than no testing.
- We don’t need the best tools and process and staff to test. We just need to; keep our ears (eyes and minds) open, try not to manipulate, be ok with some quietness and ask why.
- Open mindedness deserves it’s own bullet point. We shouldn’t try to prove we are right because, well, we will. Wait! That doesn’t make sense! Actually, it does because we see what we want to see. How can we overcome this? By trying to prove ourself wrong. If we can’t then we must be right.
- We must accept the fact that testing alone can’t guarantee the ultimate success. Testing, mostly, helps with identifying major problems and with identifying low cost — high impact improvements and alternative solutions. The actual success is only possible if we are on the right Destination. And testing can help with setting destination, too.
Common Objections Against Testing and How to Fight Them Off
- We already know the feedback we’ll get…
You are not our user. I’m not our user, either. So, we need to test with real users.
- The solution is already very obvious. Look at our competitors…
Copying doesn’t teach us anything. We can’t improve what we don’t understand.
- We don’t have time/budget/researcher…
I’ll do it in 2 days just with 5 users. That’s all we need.
- My boss wouldn’t let me…
Don’t tell them?
Testing Basics
Why You Only Need to Test with 5 Users
Elaborate usability tests are a waste of resources. The best results come from testing no more than 5 users and running as many small tests as you can afford.
The Practical Beginner’s Guide to User Research
Know the techniques, processes, and useful tools for user research & usability testing. Focused on everyday design practice.
Bridging the Gap Between Actual and Reported Behavior
It seems we’re constantly asking users what they think, only to find that they lied — or at least didn’t tell quite the truth! Kat Matfield reveals why users “lie” in testing, and how to get the real answers.
97 Things To Know About Usability 97 Things To Know About Usability
97 valuable things ranging from reminders like “test interfaces not users” to “task completion time doesn’t change during think aloud”.
Lean UX: Getting Out Of The Deliverables Business
A must read. Originally, this article talks about how Lean UX get us out of fixating on deliverables and helps us focus on the actual experience. However, the process described here captures the whole idea behind Testing step.
A/B Testing Statistics Crash Course: Ignorant No More
Doing A/B testing is one thing and interpreting the results another. CXL people has awesomely gathered all we need to know.
Test Execution
Coming out of Microsoft Game Design Studios, RITE is an excellent way to REALLY QUICKLY conduct user testing and immediately apply solutions to problems discovered. This article also reiterates the benefits of testing together as a team, including developers, too.
The Art of Guerrilla Usability Testing
In case you wanna go guerilla.
How to Easily Find and Fix Usability Problems
If your actual purpose with the test is finding usability problems then this is your guide.
The Ultimate Guide To A/B Testing
Hands down one of the most comprehensive A/B Testing guides, ever.
Managing a Hypothesis Backlog to Capture and Refine Your Problems
How to capture and utilise hypothesis’ in product design process.
Are you the only person who can conduct testing? No problem! Gregg Bernstein from Vox is here to help.
Prototyping, Wireframing, Sketching
UX sketching is efficient. It keeps you from getting caught up in the technology, and instead focuses you on the best possible solution.
Prototyping is an essential part of an iterative, user-centered design process. In this post, Andrew walks us through a variety of considerations made during the creation and adoption of prototypes.
Sketches and Wireframes and Prototypes
What is what and why use which.
Remote Usability and UX Research Tools
Tools for doing functional, soulful user experience, interaction, and usability research.
There are too many prototyping tools and there is this awesome comparison page to choose with peace of mind.
Conclusion
This article marks the end of Product Discovery Techniques series. With this series, we saw how to get Inspired, then use that inspiration to Ideate and finally use those ideas to Prototype and Test.
The gist is this:
- Acknowledge the value of existing knowledge.
- Try to close the gap with research when needed.
- Then use that knowledge to come up with good ideas. It is only possible by really, seriously ideating.
- Finally; hypothesize, prototype and test your ideas. Even the worst test is better than no test. And it doesn’t have to be perfect.
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