Usability Testessen – Products put to the test
Do you dare to put your products to the test? To find out if your idea is convincing, only one thing helps: get it tested by real users—not just friends and family as per usual. But how do you get strangers as test subjects? And for free? Our Usability Testessen makes this possible.
Why all this?
With your carefully planned product, you may think you make your customers’ lives easier and happier. But with bad luck, all your efforts could be in vain because the product does not meet their real needs—it’s too complicated, too extensive, not relevant enough. In this case, your customers will likely switch providers. To prevent this from happening, you should always test your products extensively with real users before launching them to market. This will save not only money but also time and, most importantly, nerves later.
"At the Usability Test Dinner you are confronted with the hard truth and there is always room for improvement—promised!"Jessi Eibert, Usability Testessen Organizer
Sure, we have an array of methods to help test your products in more detail, but more than that, the Usability Testessen is so easy and fun that there’s really no excuse not to participate. At each of our Usability Testessen, we bring developers and volunteer testers to the table to test products in a relaxed atmosphere. Real feedback from real users—without risk and with pizza and drinks—couldn’t be better. Everyone can test their ideas at the Usability Testessen for free and without prior knowledge or to join as a tester and give their honest opinions. Here users like to be heard! We make sure that enough testers participate and support the test stations with our expertise in the preparation.
How it works
There are two ways to participate in the evening: you can come as a user, i.e., a tester or you can bring a product to be tested. As a tester, you can try new products, relax with pizza and beer, and get into conversation with interesting people. As a test station, you use the evening to test an idea, website or app, and gather important insights about usability. Almost anything can be checked—we’ve already had marketing experts who tested their Instagram stories. Pretty clever.
The process
After every test station is set up, a tester is assigned to each one. With concrete tasks and the station’s goals directly in mind, the user tests the respective product for twelve minutes and at the same time gives valuable feedback using the Think-Aloud method. In concrete terms, this means that the user speaks aloud all their thoughts while interacting with the product and lets the small voice in their head run free.
After twelve minutes, the testers rotate to the next test station, just like speed dating, only without awkward silence. After six rounds, the positive and negative impressions of a variety of users are recorded. In this way, the weak points of the product are quickly identified. You might think: “Six tests? That is far too little!” Not at all! Usability guru Jacob Nielsen found that you only need six users to uncover about 80% of all Usability Pain Points. Each additional test will likely only reveal similar vulnerabilities. Therefore, we advise: test with six users, iterate, then test again. That is most efficient.
And while we’re at it for advice: test as early as possible! We often test concepts and screen designs on paper during the development phase.
Why are we doing this?
As UX professionals, intelligent UX design and proven usability are important to us. But many companies, startups, and developers hardly test their products with real users – or only once it is too late. But not to worry, there’s a light at the end of the tunnel that shines brightly and leads directly to the Usability Testessen! We are happy to have everyone participate! Whether as a product developer, tester, or host.
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Usability Testessen in other countries
The best thing about the Usability Testessen? It is an open concept and anyone can participate. Developed in Darmstadt by quäntchen + glück, there are now organizing teams in over 20 cities. If you want to organize a Testessen in your city, we, along with the other teams, would be happy to support you in the first steps.
