User testing best practices
Learn how to design effective user tests that deliver actionable insights. From choosing the right task types to recruiting participants, this guide covers everything you need to run successful research.
Test design guidelines
Keep tests focused
The sweet spot is 5-10 tasks per test. Longer tests lead to fatigue, lower completion rates, and rushed responses toward the end.
If you have more questions, consider splitting into multiple focused tests.
The 5-user rule
Research shows that 5 users find ~85% of usability issues. Start small, iterate, and test again—rather than one large test.
Source: Nielsen Norman Group research on usability testing sample sizes.
Write clear prompts
Be specific about what you're asking. “What do you think?” is vague. “How easy was it to find the search function?” gets better responses.
Specific questions lead to actionable feedback you can act on.
Don't lead the witness
Avoid biased language like “How much did you love...” Instead, use neutral phrasing: “What was your experience with...”
Neutral questions get honest feedback, not the answers users think you want.
Participant guidelines
Recruit the right people
The best feedback comes from people who match your target audience. Use screener questions to filter participants based on demographics, experience level, or job role. Testing with the wrong users leads to misleading insights.
Set clear expectations
Your welcome message should explain what participants are testing and roughly how long it will take. When people know what to expect, they engage more thoughtfully and complete tests at higher rates.
Quality over quantity
5 thoughtful responses beat 50 rushed ones. Focus on recruiting engaged participants rather than maximizing numbers. Our AI analysis works best with detailed, honest feedback.
Task types and when to use them
Each task type is designed for specific research goals. Choose the right one to get the most useful feedback.
Likert scale
Collect quantitative ratings on a scale. Perfect for measuring satisfaction, agreement, or preference levels.
Best for:
- Measuring satisfaction or sentiment
- Tracking metrics over time
- Comparing before/after results
Tip: Enable 'Share your feedback' to understand the reasoning behind ratings.
Qualitative
Gather open-ended text responses. Ideal for detailed feedback, explanations, and suggestions.
Best for:
- Understanding the 'why' behind behavior
- Collecting ideas and suggestions
- Exploring first impressions
Tip: Ask one clear question at a time for the best responses.
A/B Images
Show two images side-by-side for comparison. Perfect for A/B testing designs, layouts, or visual options.
Best for:
- Comparing design iterations
- Testing logo or branding options
- Making visual preference decisions
Tip: Use similar image sizes and quality for fair comparison.
A/B Video
Display two videos for comparison. Ideal for testing animations, demos, or different content approaches.
Best for:
- Comparing animation or motion styles
- Testing video content variations
- Evaluating different demos
Tip: Keep videos similar in length for balanced comparison.
Figma
Link to interactive Figma prototypes. Great for testing user flows and interactions before development.
Best for:
- Validating designs before building
- Testing navigation and user flows
- Getting feedback on interactive elements
Tip: Set your Figma prototype to 'anyone with link can view' for testers to access it.
Website
Direct users to test an external website. Perfect for usability testing of live sites.
Best for:
- Testing live product usability
- Conducting competitor analysis
- Evaluating landing pages
Tip: Provide specific tasks like 'Find the pricing page' for focused feedback.
Video
Embed videos for participants to watch. Great for gathering feedback on video content, demos, or tutorials.
Best for:
- Testing tutorial or training videos
- Evaluating advertisements
- Getting feedback on product demos
Tip: Tell participants what to focus on before they watch.
Target
Ask participants to click on specific areas of an image. Excellent for testing visual hierarchy and attention.
Best for:
- Testing CTA placement and visibility
- Understanding where users look first
- Validating visual hierarchy
Tip: Use clean, uncluttered images for clearer click data.
Quick decision guide
| If you need... | Use this task type |
|---|---|
| Numbers/ratings to measure something | Likert scale |
| Detailed written explanations | Qualitative |
| To compare two images | A/B Images |
| To compare two videos | A/B Video |
| To test an interactive prototype | Figma |
| To test a live website | Website |
| Feedback on video content | Video |
| To see where users click on an image | Target |