Concept testing is a way to gather opinions from people about an idea. It helps you check if a product, design, or marketing plan is good before launching it.
This saves time and money by ensuring you choose the right concepts that will work well for your audience. Working with professional graphic designers can improve your ideas and make them more appealing to customers.
By getting feedback from potential users, you reduce the chances of launching a product that doesn’t meet their needs. This process also helps you find the right market for your product.
What is concept testing?
Concept testing is a research method in user experience (UX) design. It involves asking customers what they think about a possible product or service before it is launched. This feedback is essential for making important decisions and understanding how ready customers are to buy your product.
When to use concept testing
You can use concept testing to test different prices, features, and advertisements. This way, you can avoid making expensive mistakes and join the 5% of businesses that successfully launch products. Companies of all sizes often use surveys to gather feedback.
The benefits of concept testing
Conducting thorough concept testing helps ensure the success of your new product ideas. Customers are the best judges of whether an idea will work or not. By testing your concepts, you can gather insights that lead to successful products. You can also learn about various aspects of your idea, such as its features, design, and pricing, before the product is released.
When to run a concept test
The goal of concept testing is to see if buyers would purchase your product. You can gather information about what features and prices they prefer. Concept testing can be done at different stages of product development, including during brainstorming, prototyping, and just before the product launch.
What artifacts can you use in testing?
Artifacts are the documents and materials used during testing, such as research notes, design files, and prototypes. These help ensure everyone on your team understands the scope of the tests.
Concept testing methods
There are several methods for concept testing. Here are four main types:
1. Comparison testing: Respondents look at two or more concepts and choose which one they prefer. This method is simple but doesn’t explain why one idea is better.
2. Monadic testing: Each group sees only one concept, allowing for detailed feedback. This method requires a larger sample size and can be more expensive.
3. Sequential monadic testing: Groups see all concepts in random order. This method is less costly and allows for feedback on multiple ideas but may lead to longer surveys that can affect response rates.
4. Protomonad testing: This combines comparison and sequential testing. Respondents look at several concepts and choose their favorite, allowing for deeper insights.
Potential pitfalls of concept testing
While concept testing can be valuable, it can also be expensive and time-consuming. It may not always provide the specific information you need.
Tips for effective concept testing
Here are some tips for creating effective concept testing surveys:
– Clearly define your research goal before making questions.
– Choose the right testing method based on your objectives.
– Include questions about potential purchases.
– Use concept testing throughout the product lifecycle.
– Collect feedback from a broad audience to ensure a better understanding of your market.
Well-known examples of concept testing
Tesla used concept testing for the Model 3 by letting people place deposits based on the concept. This raised $400 million and showed customer interest. NASCAR improved viewer engagement by adding in-race scoring, enhancing the overall experience. However, Google Glass failed because its price was too high for a product that was too new and unproven.
Conclusion
Testing your ideas with potential customers is vital to understanding what works. Concept testing can help you improve product development, reduce time to market, and satisfy customers. Companies can choose to conduct testing in-house or hire professional services, depending on their resources and expertise. Whatever you decide, concept testing is a valuable tool for successful product development.
