6 key learnings from User testing

With data analysis, we identify where visitors drop out, but not why they drop out. That is why we like to complement data analysis with User Experience (UX) testing. Through UX testing, we map out how a visitor experiences a website. Because during a UX test we sit with the respondent in one room, we get a good insight into the perception of the visitor and the reason why certain choices are made. This provides a lot of useful information for analyses and improvements. In recent years we have tested for many clients, such as: Kaartje2Go, Continu, Prominent and Kees Smit garden furniture. From all these tests we got a lot of learnings that we would like to share with you! See below the 6 most important ones:

1. Always test your new Web site design before going live
Have you had a new Web site designed but you're afraid it still has a lot of functional errors? Or do you have a specific question about certain blocks and want to see how your target audience deals with them? Then user testing is very useful. For a client we had their new website user tested before going live and 74 (!) obstacles were found, which were implemented before going live. The final result? The removal of all obstacles resulted in higher usability and better results on the new website.

2. Improve profiling so that the target audience understands the value of your brand/product
Self, of course, you know only too well what your brand has to offer to the target audience. As a result, you may sometimes become "blind" to your value proposition. You think your website is very clear, but the target audience has trouble understanding your brand. During one of our user tests, it emerged that the target audience did not understand how the service helped them move forward: "How can they help me grow my career? Where does that show up?" By explicitly naming this on the website, the value proposition became clearer to the target audience and applications increased.

3. Take away frustration with expanded filtering options (1/2)
"Go look for a wind- and waterproof jacket" we asked a user tester surfing Bever's website. What did we find out? That you can filter for windproof jackets and for waterproof jackets, but not for both at the same time. With this change we take away a lot of frustration from visitors and make it easier for them to find a suitable jacket for their outdoor activities. Which of course leads to a higher conversion.

4. Take frustration away with extended filtering options (2/2)
During Roosdorp's user tests, respondents indicated that the filtering was unclear and could be supplemented with options such as style, type of glasses and better price filtering. This is very valuable to hear from the target group itself, and this is how Roosdorp found out what the target group is missing within the filtering options.



5. Popular choice is important to target audience
When testing computer parts shop Azerty, testers indicated that they like it when popular choices are named: "This says something about it being worth the price." Testers trust fellow computer enthusiasts in making correct choices, indicating that social proof is very important here. A great learning to apply in multiple places on the website.

6. Take away any doubts about functionalities by testing
Card2Go had months of work on a new configurator in which users personalize their cards. There were still doubts within the team about certain functionalities. They were also curious to know what their target audience thought of the new configurator and hoped to discover the last obstacles before going live. During the user testing, the Kaartje2Go team got answers to all the parts that were unclear beforehand and received confirmation from the target group. The new configurator took some getting used to, but worked even better than the old one!
 

When do you start user testing?

Curious about user testing? We would like to help you. With a user test at Adwise we take everything away by writing a user test script, recruiting participants and conducting the user tests. You can be present live, because our UX lab has a real police mirror wall. This way, the participant feels at ease, and you can quietly watch. Of course, you will also be given the recordings, where in addition to a screen recording with sound, you will also see all eye movements, measured with eye tracking equipment. Because what someone says can always differ from what someone does or where someone looks. 

The question is not whetherbut whenyou start user testing! Feel free to contact us to discuss the possibilities.