User Testing for SaaS Products

What is User Testing?

User testing is a method of evaluating the functionality and usability of a product by observing real users as they interact with it. These users are typically representative of the product's target audience, and their interactions with the product provide insights into its strengths and weaknesses.

Consider an example of a new ride-hailing app. Before its launch, the company might conduct user tests where potential customers are asked to book a ride using the app. Watching how these users navigate the app, where they encounter difficulties, and how they react to different features allows the company to identify areas for improvement and optimize the app for a better user experience.

The Importance of User Testing

In the world of SaaS, understanding your user base is critical. The key to a successful product lies in its usability — if users find your product difficult to navigate or understand, they will quickly switch to a competitor. User testing allows you to see your product from your users' perspective, helping you design a product that resonates with them and meets their needs effectively.

There are several reasons why user testing should be a cornerstone of your SaaS product development:

1. Uncover blind spots: Designers and developers are often too close to their product to view it objectively. User testing provides a fresh perspective, identifying issues that may not have been apparent during the development process.

2. Data-driven insights: User testing generates a wealth of quantitative and qualitative data, providing a robust evidence base for decision-making.

3. Cost-effective: Identifying and addressing usability issues during the design stage is far more cost-effective than making changes post-launch.

4. Enhanced user retention: By ensuring a seamless and intuitive user experience, user testing can significantly improve user retention rates.

User Testing in Six Steps

The process of user testing can be broken down into six basic steps:

1. Prototype Creation

The first step in user testing involves creating a prototype — a mock-up of your product that users can interact with. This could range from simple paper sketches to interactive digital models. Various tools are available for creating prototypes, such as Figma, Miro, or No Code Tools. This step can also work in later stages of the product cycle when you already have a product and are planning the next release and what features should be added.

2. Test Plan Development

Next, you need to develop a test plan outlining what you plan to test and how you will measure success. The plan should be specific, focusing on particular features or functionalities of your product. For example, if you're testing a project management app, you might want to assess how easily users can create a new project, add team members, or track progress.

3. User Selection

Identifying the right participants for your tests is crucial. These should be individuals who represent your product's target audience. You can recruit participants through various channels, including social media, customer databases, or services like usertesting.com or validately.com. For user testing of our app, we relied on the waitlist users, which worked out great as these users were going through the problems.

4. Test Moderation

Running the test effectively is a critical part of user testing. This involves observing users as they interact with your product, asking open-ended questions, and encouraging them to verbalize their thoughts and feelings. Here we will talk about two techniques to do a user test:

User Testing Tool: Betafi

Betafi is a user test platform that facilitates remote test interviews while recording the steps. This allows the interviewer to take notes, add pointers as learning occurs, and review the recordings later to gather insights. What makes this tool better than just recording is that it takes away all the load and hassle of managing different session and prototypes. The cherry on top is that you can integrate it with your PM tools to get all the feedback directly in there.

👇🏻 Do this Now - Create your free Betafi conduct and do your first user interview.

The MoM Test Interview Method : Rob Fitzpatrick

A popular method for conducting user tests is the MoM test interview method. This involves asking open-ended, non-leading questions that encourage users to share their honest opinions and experiences. This method provides valuable insights into how users perceive your product and what changes could enhance their experience. If you have never read the book, pick up the audiobook this weekend and thank yourself on discovering this amazing approach to doing user interviews.

👇🏻 Do this Now - pick up the audiobook this weekend and thank yourself on discovering this amazing approach to doing user interviews.

5. Documentation

After the test, it's essential to document your findings accurately. This could involve creating a spreadsheet to track success rates, recording audio or video of the test sessions, or taking detailed notes on user behavior and feedback. For this, I have developed my own Notion template that uses the lean product waves improvement approach to track all the feedback and their improvement.

6. Analysis and Improvement

Finally, analyze the data gathered during the testing process and use it to inform your next steps. Identify key issues that need addressing and prioritize these based on their impact on the user experience. This analysis will guide your product development and help you create a product that truly meets your users' needs.

👇🏻 Do this Now - Duplicate the free template to start analysing feedbacks.

Using Test Waves to Improve Your Product

The lean approach to user testing involves conducting tests in iterative cycles or "waves." After each wave, the findings are analyzed, and the product is refined accordingly. This continuous cycle of testing, learning, and improving can significantly enhance the usability of your product and lead to increased user satisfaction and retention.

Conclusion

User testing is a powerful tool for SaaS product development, providing invaluable insights into your users' needs and experiences. By adopting a lean approach and incorporating user testing into your product development process, you can create a product that not only meets your users' needs but also provides a seamless and intuitive user experience. With user testing, you can stay ahead of the competition and ensure the success of your SaaS product.

In the race to deliver successful SaaS products, user testing is a powerful ally. It not only helps you understand your users better but also equips you with the knowledge to build a product that genuinely resonates with them. So, embrace user testing in your product development process, and watch your SaaS product soar to new heights.