Guerrilla testing

What it is

A means of gathering user feedback by taking a design or prototype into the public domain and asking passers-by for their thoughts.

Pros & Cons

Pros:

  • Quick turn around
  • Inexpensive compared to formal testing.
  • Identify any UX barriers or validate design assumptions early in the process.
  • This iterative testing works well in the agile project approach.

Cons:

  • You may not get the right target audience.
  • Sessions are short so you will lose some of the insights that you would get from formal user testing.
  • Might not be appropriate for all types of websites or apps.

How to use

Checklist:

  1. Portable version of the product
  2. Notepad and pen
  3. A location where you can find plentiful and available users
  4. Script: an encouraging intro, a list of test scenarios and questions

Time: at least one day (prepare, carry out and analyse the research), 10-15mins (per test)

Participants: 6 to 12

Steps:

  1. Come up with a list of tasks; prioritize the tasks and turn them into scenarios.
  2. Start the guerrilla testing: Approach a person. Ask them if they would like to answer a few questions about your product. Then give them a couple of tasks to complete. Observe their interaction. Ask about their experience.
  3. Capture user testing insights and fix your usability problems.
  4. Test again, validate and make user tests a habit.

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