8 - Setting up a test

"When you come to a fork in the road, take it." - Yogi Berra

Once we’ve constructed one or more trees to test, and come up with a list of the tasks we’d like our users to try, we should take time to pause and congratulate ourselves – most of the heavy lifting is done.

Now we need to turn this raw material into an actual test that we can run with users. Luckily, the tools now available make this a fairly straightforward process, as well as offering a raft of handy options to tailor the test to our needs.

In this chapter, we’ll cover how to get a test set up, and which of those options we should choose when.


Naming the test

Tips to make our tests easy to identify later

Disguising the test address

Avoid giving away the grouping method and client

Selecting languages

For the prompts and controls shown by the tool

Password-protecting the test

If we need to keep the study private

Setting closing rules

Finishing manually, by # of participants, or by date 

Redirecting after the test

Linking back to a panel, to another study, or to a recruiting survey

Setting up the tree and tasks

Pointers to Chapters 6 and 7

Writing supporting text

Welcome message, instructions, thanks message, and T&C

Adding survey questions

For screening, splitting results, research, comments, etc.

Choosing a visual look

Setting the logo and color scheme

Providing a support contact

For participants' questions, concerns, or suggestions

Alerting the organization about our study

In case customers inquire about it

 Key points


Next:  Chapter 9 - Recruiting participants


Copyright © 2024 Dave O'Brien

This guide is covered by a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.