Online Qualitative Research for your Remote User Testing
Online Qualitative Research is an effective tool for remote user testing, especially when combined with webcam interviews. Here are some best practices for conducting these interviews.
During your interviews, you want to ask questions that can help you increase the usability of your program for future users. Ask directed questions. Instead of asking if the site looks good, ask if the design looks professional and trustworthy. Would the user feel comfortable entering their credit information? These specific and pointed questions will help you do a lot more with your findings.
Be sure to ask how your product or service comes across in your site. It should be clear what you are trying to sell, and your website should persuade users to purchase. If your product is not in focus on the site, then you will be losing a lot of potential business.
The homepage is the gateway to your product. Ask your testers if the homepage is attractive and inviting. Ask if there is anything that could be improved or stands out about the homepage’s layout.
The weak point are the ones you can fix for the greatest added value to your site. Ask testers about the most confusing or worst parts of the site. Also ask if they had any trouble navigating the site.
The user’s experience is the key factor, so be sure to gear your questions towards how you can improve the user experience of your site. You want to filter out actionable feedback during the interviews.
Usability testing is a key phase of any startup launch. Even if you already started your business, you can still conduct a usability test to improve your product and sales page for an increase in sales. With the competitive price of usability tests these days, there’s no reason to pass on one, and the time you spend on your testing can make a huge difference.
Jim Longo is the VP of Research Solutions at Discuss.io, a consumer-connection platform for market research. He brings over 25 years of domain expertise in the market research industry. Jim is considered a thought leader with regards to online behavior and market research technology. He has consulted with brands and research agencies around the world on how to have insightful online conversations and was instrumental in building the first global online qualitative research practice at Harris Interactive (acquired by Nielsen). There, he led a team that conducted more than one thousand online groups in the first three years of its existence.
