Unlocking Success : Early Stage Testing for Products That Captivate
Designing for a specific target market is an absolute must in the world of product design, launch, and support. There's no such thing as creating a product that appeals to everyone. If you believe otherwise, you're mistaken. There are numerous reasons for this, but let's not get sidetracked.
The Key to Designing for Success
The real challenge lies in defining your target market and deciding whether to expand or narrow it down. Unless you're creating something incredibly groundbreaking with no comparable products on the market, an easy approach is to examine similar products and use their target market as a starting point. Then, you can differentiate your product by adding unique features. However, when it comes to innovative products, early testing becomes even more crucial. You need to validate the feasibility of your product's foundation. In fact, let's focus on early stage testing for now. We won't discuss functional or later stage testing. Early stage testing helps you make informed decisions about your product, make necessary adjustments, or even consider abandoning it if the data suggests so. Now, let's dive into three types of early stage testing that are particularly important:
Defining Your Target Market
From Competitors to Innovation - Making the Right Moves
This type of testing applies more to products with many similar competitors or highly innovative products. For existing comparable products, you need to ask your target audience why they would switch to your new product. Is the existing product not satisfactory, or does yours offer unique features or a better price? When it comes to innovative products, assuming users will find it useful and be willing to pay for it is a high-stakes test
Crafting Intuitive Experiences That Stand Out
Usability tests are crucial for validating how your product is intended to be used. When done right, they can reveal potential usage scenarios where certain conditions may impact user experience. For instance, testing an app in bright light to ensure the UI, haptics, and audio are still effective. Or testing it on a commuter train where users may be standing and can only use one hand. You also need to consider the reach of users' fingers to different parts of the screen, especially for frequently used features.
The Art of Refinement and Optimization
As product developers, we have the advantage of A/B testing in various scenarios. It can be as simple as asking team members their preferences or as complex as conducting large-scale testing with real users in different locations. If you have proper analytics for apps already in the store, you can easily determine which version, A or B, performs better in terms of user retention or monetization. Early A/B testing can validate new product concepts and mockups, ensuring new features or improvements don't compromise user engagement.
Feasibility Testing
Usability Testing
A/B Testing
By conducting these types of early stage testing, you can gather valuable insights to shape your product in a more informed manner, make necessary adjustments, and ultimately create a successful and engaging user experience.