Testing a Prototype, Website, or App

Test a Prototype

Test a Website

Test an App

On your UserTesting Dashboard, you’ve chosen to create a new unmoderated test to test an app, a prototype, or a website. You’re taken to the following testing menu:

Each of the three What are you testing? options allows you to select audiences (by using demographics filters and assigning screener questions), create tasks, and build a test plan. But which of the three options best serves your testing goals?

Let’s dive deeper into each selection.

Test a Prototype

When is it best to choose the Prototype option? Select this path when...

• You have a sketch, wireframe, or semi-functional prototype, and you want contributors to provide feedback on the design—the labeling, organization, and navigation—by describing what they expect to see or happen. (Note: The Prototype test option notifies contributors that the design is semi-functional; that they, therefore, may run into problems; and that they are to comment on what they expect to see when navigating the site or app.)
• You wish to use secure prototype hosting and upload a .zip file of your prototype. If using a prototype tool (e.g., InVision or Axure), you’ll upload the HTML CSS and other assets when building a test plan. (Note: This feature is not available on all accounts.)

More resources for testing a prototype:

• For instructions on testing mobile app prototypes and a list of mobile design prototypes, see our Mobile Prototype Testing with Other Tools article. 
• For tips on acquiring feedback on wireframes and low-fidelity prototypes, see the UserTesting blog’s “4 methods for getting actionable feedback on non-functional prototypes.”
• See the UserTesting University’s How to Use Prototype Hosting and How to Test Prototypes courses.

Test a Website

Of the three, Website is the most flexible of the options as it applies to the broadest range of testing scenarios. Use this option when, for instance, your website or app design is more fleshed out and functional (of a “higher fidelity”) than a non- or semi-functional prototype. Also, the Website option is the most appropriate when you want to conduct certain types of tests:

• Card sort 
• Mobile card sort
• Tree test
• Pilot test
• Discovery interview
• Comparison/preference test (if comparing existing designs or high-fidelity prototypes, or when trying to determine which of two ads, images, or email subject lines contributors prefer)

Or when you want to test...

• Banner ads and other kinds of imagery
• Email subject lines

Tip: If you’re still in doubt as to which of the three options to use, still go with Website.

More resources for testing a website:

• See our UserTesting University course Testing Your Messaging. 

Test an App

Use this option when you have...

• An existing app in the Apple Store or in Google Play, or a link to TestFlight. Insert the URL that points to that app.

• .IPA and .APK files can be uploaded. Drag and drop the design to be tested.

Tip: If you want contributors to review a wireframe or semi-functional design of an app, use the Prototype testing option.

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