You're trying to conduct user testing. What are the best tools to use?

In-person testing will usually give you better control and ultimately better results. It allows for better data collection from more sources, which helps gain a more holistic approach to behavior, user reactions, etc. It enables you to control the dynamics and rhythm of the test and adjust its course to the individual needs and reactions. You can test on variety of devices and it gives you better control of the test environment. That's not to say, you can't achieve that with remote testing, epecially today where there's tons of improved testing tools. Remote testing is chaper, often results in shorter execution time and overall more flexibility. The disadvantage is its one-way nature and the possibility of communication problems.

My experience has always been with testing users remotely, it works well if you want to test low-fidelity mockups or simple prototypes and when you need quick feedback, most of the companies I have worked for used Usertesting tool. In-person testing works well for complex prototypes or interactions like VR products, recently I spoke to two different startups in the VR world through Ycombinator who used a hybrid approach, combining in-person testing for UI and graphics feedback and remote surveys for initial interest of the product. Hybrid approach helped them get more in-depth insights from broad audience and dive deep into user pain points. If you have the budget and working on a complex product, it's worth taking the hybrid approach.

Conducting user testing is crucial for understanding the user experience. Tools like UsabilityHub, Lookback.io, and UserTesting offer platforms for conducting various types of user tests, including task-based testing and real-time feedback. These tools allow you to interact with users remotely, record sessions, and gain insights from a wide demographic. For analyzing user interaction within your product, tools like Hotjar or Crazy Egg provide heatmaps, session recordings, and other analytics. Combining qualitative feedback from user tests with quantitative data from these analytics tools will give you a comprehensive understanding of user behavior and preferences.

Each approach has pros & cons but given a choice I would always prefer the onsite user testing. There are several advantages of performing the user testing in person. - You get an instantaneous feedback & an opportunity to collect deeper insights through deep diving questions. - You can observe the way the user uses the product & can relate if it fulfills the intended use or purpose. Observation also provides insights. - Personal connect helps to understand the user perspective, user journey or persona and a relationship building which can be leveraged for future product developments. - More data collection opportunities to gather feedback from larger source.

Leveraging remote user testing tools such as UserTesting and Lookback can provide valuable insights, allowing for a broader and more diverse participant pool, enhancing strategic decision-making. From a disruptive standpoint, embracing emerging technologies like Maze or PlaybookUX can revolutionize user testing by incorporating AI-driven analytics, streamlining the feedback loop for more agile and efficient product development. In the realm of product management, balancing in-person testing with tools like UsabilityHub ensures a comprehensive understanding of user experiences, fostering a nuanced approach that aligns with both qualitative and quantitative data for informed decision-making.

Prototyping is an essential part of Design Thinking process and helps us build customer centric products. Here are few tools that can help: 1. Figma/ Framer: Both tools enable real-time collaboration, suitable for designing, prototyping, and gathering feedback 2. Paper Prototype: Printing designs on paper or sketching quick wireframes can be very helpful in aligning/seeking feedback. This helps quickly get feedback or align on a direction 3. No Code Tools: Use no-code tools like Wix, Bubble or Adalo to create initial version and test with real users

When designing and defining a product, prototyping tools have less importance but are critical in the development of long representation or behavior strategy. Adobe XD Axure RP and Marvel are among the platforms that enhance the functionality of prototypes by allowing emulation in user experience. These instruments turn into key aspects of iterative testing, as you are more likely to evaluate a prototype that fits the functionality observed when interacting with real versions. Thanks to the aid of AI-supported prototyping tools, such as Proto.io, wireframing during preliminary test phases becomes quicker and easier since various frames are generated.

As a product manager, choosing the right prototyping tool is crucial. Figma, Sketch, Adobe XD, Balsamiq, and InVision are top choices. Figma is web-based, great for real-time team collaboration and integrates well with other tools. Sketch, a desktop application, offers extensive customization and plugins, ideal for detailed designs. Adobe XD is user-friendly, supporting both design and prototyping, suitable for Adobe suite users. Balsamiq is excellent for low-fidelity mockups, emphasizing simplicity and clarity. InVision provides robust prototyping with interactive features. Your choice depends on your team's needs, project complexity, and preferred workflow. Select a tool that aligns with your design goals, team dynamics, and budget.

We have extensively used Figma for product design and prototyping. In addition to Figma, we recently used Maze (a crowd source testing tool) to share lo-fidelity concepts with potential customer segments.

Figma is my go-to especially if I need to create the prototypes myself without bothering the UX/UI team. The prototyping functionality is easy to use and set up. The Figma mobile application also allows me to demo the prototype from my phone when needed. I wouldn't look past Figma at the moment.

One of the best tools for user interviews is Dovetail. It allows you to: -Transcribe speech to text -Tag important information -Turn into a dashboard -Get insights & patterns in user behaviors 10X faster

The recording units embrace Revive, Media Boy, and other like forms of usage to capture the user’s interaction. The example the tools; Mouseflow and Lucky Orange can help create video heatmaps as well as session recordings that are effectively utilized to demonstrate all sorts of user movement on any website, watching them. These tools make available real-time observational analysis; showing engagement and resistance in visuals. AI-based recording devices, as illustrated by Pendois tend to include complex operations such as anomaly detection making the meta-analysis worthwhile. This is shown from my standpoint, the recording of the process in the post-testing stages.

I have had a great experience with Usertesting.com. It is a useful tool to get quick feedback on your product designs and decisions so that you can iterate and make improvements. The tool does a good job not only recording the sessions but also providing charts and transcripts so you can get insights into how you can change your product. The tool is most helpful i feel for testing UI/UX as the testers can interact with your designs and provide feedback.

Before starting the test, I ask users for consent to record the session. Then, I enable the transcript feature that generates a file with the conversation. After the test, I review the video at different speeds, x1.5 and x0.75. I use the transcript as a reference. I extract the verbatim and organize them in a Gsheet with topics as rows and participants as columns. The hardest part is to identify the patterns and interpret the data. Recording tools make this part a bit easier.

Recording tools play a vital role in user testing by capturing valuable data that can be analyzed to enhance user experience and product design.

Gathering Quantitative Feedback: Surveys are great for quantitative feedback. Tools like SurveyMonkey and Google Forms have been instrumental in my projects for collecting structured user feedback. For instance, post-testing surveys provided quantitative data that complemented the qualitative insights from the testing sessions.

As a product manager, choosing the right survey tool is key. Google Forms is free and easy, good for basic surveys and works well with Google contacts. SurveyMonkey offers more design options and good data analysis, fitting for various needs. Typeform, a paid tool, is interactive and embeds well in websites or apps, engaging users effectively. Qualtrics is best for deep market research, offering detailed analysis tools. SurveySparrow's conversational style makes surveys more engaging. Each tool's unique features and costs should match your survey goals and target audience. The right tool can greatly help in understanding users and shaping product strategy.

From experience, when choosing a survey tool, it's helpful to prioritize the user experience it offers to our respondents. Tools like Typeform provide a more engaging and interactive interface, which can lead to higher completion rates and more thoughtful responses. Also, it's essential to think about the depth of analysis that we need. If we need advanced analytics and cross-tabulation, options like Qualtrics or SurveyMonkey might be more suitable than Typeform. Matching the tool with the complexity of the survey and the preferences of the audience can significantly enhance the quality and quantity of the feedback we receive.

Most of the tooling decision comes down to how complex you want to get with your survey paths. Google Forms is a relatively straightforward product that can get you almost 80% of the results you are looking for. We often use Google Forms as a way to send out surveys to gather feedback from members, and so far, it has provided enough value. Think about who will be taking your survey. This includes their technical savviness, the devices they use, and their preferred mode of communication. This will help you choose a tool that is accessible and user-friendly for your audience.

Quantitative feedback is always amazing. You can visualize your feedback through graphs and actually put the data to good use. Have small questionnaires in your product so you can get feedback on the go as well, such as a popup or rate this feature out of 5. Such insights provide you a real-life example data of the user experience.

Integrate analytics tools like Google Analytics, Mixpanel, or Hotjar to track user interactions and behavior within your product. Monitor key metrics such as page views, session duration, and conversion rates to evaluate user engagement and identify areas for optimization. Utilize analytics insights to inform user testing strategies, prioritize usability improvements, and measure the impact of design changes on user behavior.

Strategically, integrating robust analytics tools like Mixpanel or Amplitude into user testing processes empowers teams to quantify user interactions, enabling data-driven strategies and a clearer understanding of user behavior. Creatively, tools like Crazy Egg or Hotjar not only provide insightful analytics but also visually represent user interactions through heatmaps, fostering a creative lens that helps identify patterns and opportunities for innovative design solutions. From a product management perspective, employing Google Analytics or Heap Analytics offers comprehensive data that aligns with product goals, facilitating informed decision-making and iterative improvements based on real-time user insights.

As a product manager, choosing the right analytics tool is crucial. Google Analytics is free, great for tracking website traffic, conversions, and user journeys. Mixpanel, though paid, excels in measuring user retention, engagement, and loyalty. Amplitude and Heap offer unique features for in-depth user insights. Segment simplifies data management across various platforms. Your choice depends on specific needs: budget, key metrics, and platform compatibility. While Google Analytics suits broad-based tracking, Mixpanel and others cater to more specialized analytics needs. Balancing cost, features, and integration capabilities is key to effective user behavior analysis and enhancing product strategies.

Don't let your user testing data be buried treasure! Analytics tools are your maps and compasses, helping you navigate the wealth of insights gathered. For basic analysis of quantitative data like completion rates and time spent, tools like SurveyMonkey or Google Forms offer built-in features. But for advanced analysis like sentiment analysis, heatmaps, and user journey mapping, consider Hotjar, Crazy Egg, or UserTesting with its analytics suite.

Google Analytics, Hotjar, Mixpanel for tracking user behavior, identifying patterns, and measuring the impact of design changes.

From experience, an important tip for effective user testing is to focus on quality over quantity in terms of participants. It's often more beneficial to have a smaller group of well-selected users that closely match the target persona than a larger, less specific group. This approach yields richer, more relevant insights. Additionally, ensure test scenarios and questions are as realistic as possible to elicit genuine user behaviors and opinions. Realism in testing scenarios often leads to more actionable insights that can directly influence product improvements.

It's important to start with a prototype. It’s decidedly better to make mistakes on a quick prototype than on the finished product. Wrong design decisions become very apparent on a finished product—unnecessary mistakes that need to be fixed at a huge cost. The final cost of deploying untested applications is enormous. There are multiple ways to create prototypes, and there are many tools, including offline software and online apps. I like to create multiple variations and build several completely different prototypes for the same project. I decide which one is best after I put them together. More often than not, once I start working with them, I discover solutions that I didn’t think of when I created the first prototype.

Avoid the following biases during user testing to ensure objective and reliable results: 1. Confirmation Bias: Avoid seeking information that confirms pre-existing beliefs while ignoring contradictory data. 2. Observer Bias: Be mindful of influencing user behavior or responses during testing, and strive for impartial observation. 3. Recency Bias: Don’t overemphasize the latest data or feedback; consider all data collected throughout the testing period. 4. Anchoring Bias: Avoid fixating on initial information or first impressions when interpreting user feedback.

If budget is an issue, remember to shop around extensively, some tools offer free plans with limited features, while others require paid subscriptions. Choose a tool with a user-friendly interface and readily available support resources. Also, consider if the tool you settle for integrates with other existing workflow and design tools.

Clear Objectives: Define goals clearly for all involved. Diverse Participants: Recruit a representative sample. Combine Methods: Use both quantitative and qualitative approaches. Iterative Testing: Conduct multiple rounds for continuous refinement. Encourage Honest Feedback: Create a comfortable environment for honesty. Document and Share Findings: Thoroughly document and share insights for team collaboration. Continuous Improvement: Use feedback for ongoing enhancements, maintaining a user-centric mindset.

Understanding that it's not just about the tools is vital. It comes down to what you can do, what you can afford, and what your product needs. Think of it like this: as a product manager, you constantly encounter other product managers pitching their tools as the ultimate solution trough their marketing or sales departments. So, always kick off with what's available for free. Learn from the shortcomings you spot and then make informed decisions about which tools to pick to fill those gaps.

It's not about the tool necessarily, but about what your product needs. Search for tools that specialize in your low-hanging fruit. See what's available for free and see if it adds value. Today there are a plethora of tools available to help you make informed decisions.

Tools are important but not everything. During user testing, you need to keep it normal for the user in the same environment he will be in during the usage of the application, so you can get accurate results and identify any real issues and frustrations. This allows you to address them effectively.

There is moderated and unmoderated user testing. Card sorting if you are trying to understand a website hierarchy. "Rocket Surgery Made Easy" by Steve Krug provides an excellent primer on user testing as well as a user testing script.

Beyond tools, focus on the human aspect. Understand cultural nuances in user behavior. Keep ethical data collection practices in mind. Regularly update testing methods to keep pace with evolving user preferences and technological advancements.