You need to test user-centered content. What are some creative ways to do it?

1 Use the 5-second test

The 5-second test is a quick and simple way to test the clarity and impact of your content. You show a user a screenshot of your web page, app, or email for 5 seconds, and then ask them to recall what they saw, what they understood, and what they felt. This can help you evaluate how well your content communicates your message, captures attention, and creates an impression. You can use online tools like UsabilityHub or TryMyUI to conduct 5-second tests with a large and diverse pool of users.

2 Try the cloze test

The cloze test is a method to test the readability and comprehension of your content. You take a piece of text and remove some words at random, leaving blanks. Then you ask a user to fill in the blanks with the words they think were there. This can help you assess how well your content flows, how clear and consistent your language is, and how easy it is for your users to understand your content. You can use online tools like ClozeTestPro or UserTesting to create and run cloze tests with your users.

3 Do a card sorting exercise

Card sorting is a technique to test the structure and organization of your content. You write down the main topics, categories, and subcategories of your content on cards, and then ask a user to sort them into groups and label them. This can help you understand how your users think about your content, what terms they use, and how they expect to find information. You can use online tools like OptimalSort or UserZoom to conduct card sorting exercises with your users.

4 Use a highlighter test

The highlighter test is a way to test the relevance and value of your content. You give a user a piece of content and two highlighters: one for the parts they find useful or interesting, and one for the parts they find irrelevant or boring. Then you ask them to explain why they highlighted what they did. This can help you identify what content resonates with your users, what content needs improvement, and what content can be removed. You can use online tools like Highlighter or Usabilla to perform highlighter tests with your users.

5 Ask open-ended questions

Open-ended questions are a great way to get feedback from users about the effectiveness and satisfaction of your content. Examples include asking users what they liked or disliked about the content, how it made them feel, what they learned, how it could be improved, and how likely they are to take action after reading it. You can use online tools such as SurveyMonkey or Typeform to create and distribute surveys with these types of questions.