Product testing is an important part of the process of launching any type of new product. Creating beautiful code or great designs isn’t worth much if the end product is not usable by the target audience. Realizing the importance of testing, companies, both big and small, are investing more and more in their quality assurance and testing departments.
The growing realization of the importance of testing has led to the development of new methods of assessing the validity of a product, such as in-home product testing. In-home testing refers to the process of sending a product to regular consumers and then getting their feedback on the product. In-home testing has been popular for a long time, but in case you are hesitant to use this form of quality control, here are a few reasons why you should invest in this form of research.
Nothing can Replace Feedback from Real Users
Your team can have an incredibly rigorous eye for quality control, but some things are bound to slip through. People who have worked on the project for a long time are unconsciously biased to see it in the best light possible. Plus, those with experience navigating complex products can’t always think from the perspective of an average user who hasn’t spent years working in the field.
Thus, feedback from real users and potential customers is vital in seeing if the product you designed is actually useful to the target audience. People can point out if some things that seem intuitive to the development team are actually difficult to navigate for real users and other flaws.
Results are More Authentic
There are other ways to solicit feedback from your target audience, such as inviting people to your offices to test a product. However, those situations are inherently artificial and do not match the conditions in which people will actually be using your product, so the feedback will not be as useful in market situations. Plus, people might modify their feedback due to the pressure of being in an office instead of being brutally honest.
Sending products to people at their homes means that you will mimic the conditions of real use as closely as possible. Plus, people will feel more comfortable giving real feedback.
It is Cost-Effective
In-home product testing is actually a very cost-effective way of testing products. You get real feedback from users without going through the expense of a wide launch and catch errors before you make too many samples of the product. Plus, all you need to cover in terms of expenses is the cost of shipping and paying your employees to solicit surveys.
Analyzing Feedback is Getting More Advanced
In-home testing is a very traditional way of product testing, but it is getting more advanced and accurate thanks to new technology. The software can help you process survey responses and interview results, extract the most insightful data, and create visualizations that clearly communicate the results of your testing campaign. In-home testing blends the best of modern technology with tried-and-true testing techniques.
Testing also Builds Loyalty
Besides testing products, in-home testing is also a valuable form of marketing. Users feel honored to be included in the process of developing a new product and are more likely to purchase from you in the future once you strengthen that relationship. Use the opportunity to test new products to attract new customers or add it as a reward for loyal existing customers who love your previous products. After considering these advantages, try to see if you can fit in-home user testing into your testing plan.
