What are the best ways to validate behavior change hypotheses using user testing?

2 Choose your testing method

Depending on your hypothesis and product stage, you may opt for different user testing methods to validate it. A/B testing, for instance, is a quantitative method that compares two or more versions of your product or feature to determine which one performs better on a specified metric. For example, you could use it to test which version of your app's onboarding yields more sign-ups or engagement. On the other hand, scenario testing is a qualitative method that requires users to complete a goal or task using your product in a realistic context. As an example, you could use it to assess how users use your app to track their daily steps or set their fitness goals. Lastly, diary study is a longitudinal method that requests users to record their experiences, thoughts, feelings, and behaviors over a period of time using your product. For instance, you could ask users to keep a diary of their physical activity and motivation levels for a month while using your app.

3 Recruit your participants

When deciding on your testing method, you need to recruit participants who represent your target audience and are able to provide useful feedback. Consider the number of participants you need, as well as how you will recruit them and compensate them. You can use online platforms such as UserTesting, UserZoom, or Respondent to filter participants based on criteria like demographics, behaviors, or preferences and pay them through the platform. You can also reach out to potential participants via email or social media, such as newsletters, forums, or groups, offering incentives such as gift cards, discounts, or early access to your product. Alternatively, if you already have users who use your product or service, you can leverage them as participants for user testing by asking for feedback via surveys, interviews, or reviews or inviting them to join your testing sessions.

4 Prepare your testing materials

Prior to conducting user testing, it is important to prepare the materials and tools needed to collect and analyze data. This may include a prototype or live version of the product or service being tested, a testing script or guide outlining tasks, questions, or scenarios presented to participants, a consent form or disclaimer informing them of the purpose, scope, and privacy of the user testing, a recording device or software capturing participants' actions, reactions, and feedback, and a note-taking tool or software for documenting observations, insights, and findings.

5 Conduct your testing sessions

When you are ready to conduct your user testing, it's important to follow best practices and tips to ensure that you get reliable and valid data. Setting clear expectations and goals for participants, being neutral and objective, asking open-ended and probing questions, observing and listening carefully, and being flexible and adaptable are all important steps. Explaining what you want them to do and why, avoiding leading or influencing responses or behaviors, paying attention to verbal and non-verbal cues, and adjusting the testing plan if needed are all important considerations.

6 Analyze and report your results

Once user testing is complete, it's time to analyze and report the results. This should involve organizing and synthesizing the data to look for patterns, themes, or outliers. Comparing and contrasting the data can help to determine if the results match or differ from expectations or assumptions. Hypotheses should be validated or invalidated with an explanation as to why and how. Additionally, key findings and insights should be highlighted and related to user behavior or motivation change. Finally, improvements or next steps should be suggested and prioritized based on their impact and feasibility.

7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?