Product Testing Starts with Identifying the Right Users

There’s a quote by Steve Jobs that says “You've got to start with the customer experience and work backwards to the technology.”

When it comes to designing exemplary products, the best, most influential product leaders have a similar mindset - start with your users, not your product.

This principle applies to testing apps, websites, and physical products.

Start with the people, specifically the right people. 

There is a misconception we often observe when testing products: the more people you test with, the better research insights you’ll get.

In reality, what matters most is whether you’re testing with the right people. If you’re a UX tester or a product tester, before you start testing, ask yourself a simple question: 

“Whom is this product designed for? Who might use this product?”

Take a Diabetes management app as an example. Would you learn more from 500 random people or 25 people living with diabetes?

Or a Mortgage app: Would talking to 100 random people help? Or Would you rather learn from 20 people who are actively applying for a mortgage or remortgage?

The answer is almost always the second group.

🛍️ An E-Commerce website needs insights from people who shop online regularly.

💡  A B2B software platform needs insights from professionals who use the same or similar platforms.

✨ An AI productivity tool needs insights from its most active users. 

🧏‍♀️ Accessibility Testing needs insights from people who use assistive technologies or live with disabilities.

When it comes to UX research, quality matters more than quantity. 

Start by asking “Which people would give us the most relevant insights” 

rather than “How many people should we speak to?”

The quality of your user insights will ultimately shape the quality of your product.