Build it and they will come…Not anymore. Better test first!

My first testing experience made me rethink WHY i decided to build a mobile application. Palm to the face. My carefully designed and rehearsed test went haywire from the first tester and by the end of the first round, my brain was swimming with all the ideas I was getting for ‘fixing’ my design. After a few deep breaths and talking to the tree in my backyard, I decided to focus on changing just two small details that I thought would make the most difference.

As it turned out, my last two test sessions went remarkably well…in comparison to the first ones that is. My final test session included a highly logical and systematic thinker and number-cruncher. This tester was a last minute add, and I was not looking forward to ending my session on a down note of despair. Surprisingly, the test session went off without a hitch. My tester found a few areas of concern, but they were not surprises and better yet, they were not fatal. Overall, my design was sound.

What I learned this week is that every experience MUST be tested. MUST. Everybody hear me in the back? MUST BE TESTED. Testing is not only for software or hardware. Testing is for any experience you’re putting in front of a customer.

I read an article that advised to test early and test often. D’uh. Though I researched before building my app, testing proved that features I thought were important, were not. The user NEVER uses the product as intended.

After spending years in marketing and communications, I’m amazed that not everything (nearly nothing) is tested in front of actual customers. This is not a knock on one company. This is systemic for many traditional industries. We assume that if we test internally among our staff, we’ve done enough to push a product out into the world. There is never time or budget to test. Deadlines are sharp and you’re weeks behind before you’ve even started. But of course, when we push out our product, engagement is low, and we wonder where we went wrong. Insert panic. Something must be wrong with the marketing…send more communications.

It’s not enough just to “build it” anymore. Better test it…and reiterate…and test again…then, we’ll have a better chance of them coming.