Evaluate a design idea

This article applies to: UserTesting 

On this page:

• Why collecting feedback on design matters
• When to evaluate your product
• Types of evaluations for collecting feedback

Why collecting feedback on design matters

• Collecting feedback on your design helps you determine whether you're building a solution that customers truly want to use.
• It also enables your team to make informed decisions. Since your team is deeply familiar with the design, it can be hard to view it from the same perspective as your customers.
• Gathering feedback early in the project can save time by preventing you from developing the wrong features or reworking a product that doesn’t meet customer needs.

When to evaluate your product

Regardless of where you are in the product life cycle—whether it’s a website, app, software, or another type of product—you can always benefit from evaluation. Consider evaluating:

• The current version to identify areas for improvement and recognize what’s working well, offering opportunities to learn and grow.
• Early concepts to ensure the project starts on the right track.
• Designs in progress to confirm that decisions are keeping the design aligned with customer needs as the concept evolves.
• Pre- and post-release to measure the success of the final design.

Types of evaluations for collecting feedback

To gather valuable insights, use these types of evaluations:

• Benchmark evaluations to assess the current state of your design and create a basis for future comparisons.
• Usability testing with concepts, wireframes, prototypes, or live designs to ensure smooth interactions and functionality.
• Feedback on messaging to confirm that your wording resonates with your target audience.
• Content organization assessments to improve navigation, especially in content-heavy areas such as e-commerce, intranet, or account management pages.
• Diary studies to gather insights from the same user over time, tracking their evolving experiences.

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