Proven strategies to uncover insights, refine your product, and drive success with user-centered design
User testing is the secret weapon of every successful product leader. It can validate your vision, refine your product, and uncover critical issues before they reach your customers. For SaaS products, where user experience can make or break customer retention, user testing is invaluable.
In this user testing guide for product leaders, you’ll discover how to validate your vision, refine your product, and uncover critical issues before they reach your customers.
At Standard Beagle, we’ve helped many product leaders transform their products with actionable insights from user testing. This guide will show you how to implement user testing, avoid common pitfalls, and deliver the insights your team needs to build exceptional products.
In this article
Why user testing is critical for product leaders
User testing isn’t just about catching bugs. It’s about creating a product that solves real user problems, aligns with business goals, and stays competitive in the market. Here’s why it’s a non-negotiable step for any product leader:
1. Reduce churn by improving onboarding flows
The onboarding experience is one of the most critical moments in a user’s journey. If users can’t quickly understand your product’s value or how to use it, they’ll leave—often for good. User testing helps you identify where users struggle during onboarding and offers actionable insights for streamlining the process.
Research Insight: The Nielsen Norman Group emphasizes that user testing during onboarding is critical for identifying friction points and improving user retention. Their research shows that simplifying onboarding flows and providing contextual guidance, like tooltips or progress indicators, can significantly enhance engagement. For example, usability studies often reveal that users are more likely to adopt key features when onboarding tasks are clear and actionable.
2. Prioritize features based on user needs
It’s easy to get caught up in building features your team thinks are important. But user testing grounds these decisions in actual user feedback, helping you focus on what matters most to your audience. This not only saves development time but ensures your product delivers maximum value.
Case Study: During research for a B2B integration software, our team tested designs and prototypes with target users to evaluate their priorities and needs. The feedback revealed that users valued an intuitive dashboard layout over advanced but infrequently used integration options. By iterating on the dashboard design based on these insights, we delivered a prototype that better aligned with user expectations, paving the way for higher adoption once implemented.
3. Strengthen team alignment by anchoring decisions in user feedback
User testing doesn’t just inform design decisions. It unites your team around a shared understanding of user needs. When everyone, from developers to executives, sees real users interacting with your product, it creates alignment and reduces internal debates over priorities.
Research insight: Incorporating cross-functional teams into user testing sessions can significantly enhance product development. According to a study by the Project Management Institute, cross-functional teams facilitate better communication and collaboration, leading to more effective problem-solving and innovation. By involving diverse team members in the observation of user testing, organizations can gain comprehensive insights into user challenges, enabling them to prioritize design improvements that enhance user experience and task success rates.
4. Mitigate risk and ensure ROI
Every new feature or product launch carries risk. Will users understand it? Will it solve their problems? User testing minimizes guesswork, ensuring your investment in development and marketing pays off. By identifying usability issues before launch, you avoid costly post-launch fixes and customer dissatisfaction.
Research insight: According to a Forrester report, every $1 invested in UX can return up to $100 in ROI by reducing support costs, improving user retention, and driving conversions.
5. Build a competitive advantage
In a crowded market, user experience is often the differentiator that sets successful products apart. Regular user testing ensures your product evolves alongside user expectations, helping you stay ahead of competitors.
Research Insight: Studies have shown that companies that prioritize user testing and integrate it into their development processes gain a competitive edge. According to research by McKinsey & Company, organizations that excel in user experience outperform their competitors by 32 percent in revenue growth. By identifying usability issues early through ongoing testing, these companies are able to iterate quickly, launch improvements faster, and retain more customers over the long term.
By reducing churn, aligning teams, prioritizing features, and delivering clear ROI, user testing becomes an essential tool in every product leader’s toolkit. Incorporating it at every stage of development isn’t just a best practice—it’s a strategic advantage.
Case study: When we worked with the Dallas Opera, user testing revealed a disconnect between new and returning patrons. By addressing this issue, we reorganized the navigation to better cater to both audiences. The result? A 25 percent increase in page views and a smoother user experience.
Types of user testing for SaaS products
SaaS products thrive when user testing is tailored to uncover usability issues, validate design decisions, and prioritize features. Here are three essential types of user testing that SaaS leaders should leverage:
1. Usability testing
Usability testing evaluates how easily users can navigate your app or complete key tasks. For SaaS products, this often means identifying pain points in workflows such as onboarding, dashboard navigation, or setting up integrations.
When to use it:
- During early design phases to identify usability gaps
- Post-launch to ensure features align with real-world user needs
Example: In a usability test for a project management SaaS tool, participants might be tasked with creating a new project, assigning team members, and tracking progress. Observations could reveal whether users struggle to locate key actions or complete workflows efficiently.
Usability testing ensures that your product’s core functionalities are intuitive and meet user expectations, directly influencing customer satisfaction and retention.
2. A/B testing
A/B testing allows you to compare two variations of a feature or design to determine which performs better. SaaS companies often rely on A/B testing to optimize key elements such as landing pages, pricing displays, or feature placement. Note: This testing works best with large datasets of users.
When to use it:
- To refine high-traffic pages or key workflows
- When introducing a new feature or layout
Example: A SaaS email marketing platform might use A/B testing to evaluate two dashboard designs—one emphasizing campaign statistics and another prioritizing user templates. The test could reveal which design better engages users and drives task completion.
A/B testing provides concrete, data-driven insights, helping you confidently implement changes that drive conversions and user engagement.
3. Concept validation
Concept validation involves testing prototypes of early designs or wireframes with users before they’re fully developed. This approach is particularly useful for identifying potential usability issues at the design stage, saving significant time and cost later in development.
When to use it:
- To validate new feature concepts or redesigns
- Before committing to full-scale development
Example: During prototype testing for a SaaS analytics tool, users tested an interactive wireframe of the dashboard. Feedback revealed confusion about how to access advanced settings, leading to an improved layout before development began.
By testing prototypes, you can quickly identify and address usability issues without the expense of reworking a live product. This ensures that your designs are informed by real user needs from the start.
Strategically using these types of testing means SaaS leaders can ensure that their products meet user expectations, improve retention, and maintain a competitive edge. Each method plays a critical role in building a product that users love.
Prepare for a user testing session
Preparation is everything when it comes to running a successful user testing session. A well-organized plan will help you gather actionable insights without unnecessary interruptions or distractions. Follow this guide to get started:
1. Recruit the right users
Your participants should closely match your target audience to ensure their feedback is relevant to your product. Recruiting the right users can involve tapping into customer panels, reaching out to your email list, or using testing platforms like UserTesting or Respondent.
Tips for recruiting:
- Create a profile of your ideal participant (e.g., industry, job title, experience level).
- If your product serves multiple user types, aim for a mix to capture diverse perspectives.
- Avoid friends or colleagues to ensure unbiased feedback.
Pro tip: At Standard Beagle, we’ve found success using both scheduled participants and impromptu recruitment within target audiences. The latter often provides more candid insights, particularly in fast-paced environments.
2. Define clear scenarios
Scenarios are the backbone of user testing. They guide participants through tasks that mimic real-world interactions with your product, focusing on specific features or workflows.
How to create scenarios:
- Base tasks on your product’s key functionalities and what you want to learn. For example, if you’re testing a SaaS project management tool, a scenario might involve creating a new project and assigning tasks.
- Keep instructions clear but not overly detailed. Let users figure out how to achieve the goal themselves.
- Include a mix of tasks that test both basic usability and more advanced features.
Make these scenarios as clear as possible without giving specific directions on how to interact with the product. For example, ask users to walk through key functionalities or features without prescribing exactly how to do it.
Pro tip: Limit your test to 3-5 scenarios to avoid overwhelming participants and keep sessions focused.
3. Prepare the environment
A comfortable, distraction-free environment helps participants focus on the task at hand. Whether in person or remote, your testing setup should support smooth facilitation.
Checklist for environment setup:
- Recording tools: Use a video camera to capture the participant’s interaction with the product. This can reveal subtle usability issues missed during live observation. We also like using live transcription tools, like Otter or Zoom to speed up transcription later in the process.
- Permissions: Secure NDAs and consent forms, especially if the product is not yet public.
- Technical readiness: Test the equipment (e.g., screen recorders, microphones) beforehand to avoid interruptions.
4. Gather your team
Testing is a team effort. Assign clear roles to ensure a smooth session and capture detailed observations:
- Conductor: Guides the session, introduces tasks, and keeps the user comfortable without leading them.
- Note-takers: Document observations and capture direct quotes.
- Observers: Team members or stakeholders can watch silently, either in person or remotely, to gain firsthand insights.
Pro tip: Write a script or testing guide for the conductor to ensure consistency across sessions. Have the script sound as natural but professional as possible. You want the users feeling comfortable and trusting when they go through testing.
5. Offer incentives
While optional, offering small incentives, such as branded swag or gift cards, can encourage participation and show appreciation. On a fun note, you can give out branded freebies to the users to thank them for participating.
By preparing thoroughly, you’ll create an environment where participants feel at ease and provide honest, valuable feedback. This groundwork lays the foundation for uncovering insights that can transform your product.
How to run an effective user testing session
A great user testing session hinges on careful execution and thoughtful facilitation. By creating a structured yet flexible environment, you’ll capture honest, actionable feedback. Here’s how to run a session that delivers real insights:
1. Welcome the user and set expectations
Start the session by putting the participant at ease. Explain what the session will entail, emphasizing that their feedback is about the product, not their personal abilities. This helps alleviate any anxiety and encourages open, honest responses.
- Script tip: Have the script sound as natural but professional as possible. You want the users feeling comfortable and trusting when they go through testing.
- “We’re testing the product, not you. There are no wrong answers.”
- “We want your honest reactions—feel free to share anything that comes to mind.”
- Rapport-building tip: If you are conducting the session remotely, STAY ON CAMERA. Your user is already feeling nervous. Don’t add to the stress of not being able to see the person who greeted them.
2. Secure permissions
If the product is not yet public, ensure users sign a Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA) to protect sensitive information. If you’re recording the session, be sure to also have them sign an explicit consent using a video release form.
3. Start with warm-up questions
Before diving into scenarios, begin with light, open-ended questions to understand the user’s initial impressions and establish a baseline:
- “What’s your first impression of this product?”
- “What do you think it does?”
- “Would you want to use this, and why?”
These questions provide context for their expectations and allow you to spot gaps in clarity or appeal.
4. Guide them through scenarios
Present a series of predefined scenarios that represent key tasks or workflows for your product. For SaaS products, this might include actions like setting up an account, navigating a dashboard, or completing a core task.
- Only give the participants one task at a time. Don’t overwhelm them all at once.
- Make these scenarios as clear as possible without giving specific directions on how to interact with the product.”
- Encourage users to “think out loud” as they work through the tasks. This provides deeper insight into their decision-making process, frustrations, or confusion.
Pro tip: If a user encounters a roadblock, resist the urge to assist immediately. Let them navigate the challenge independently to uncover genuine usability issues.
5. Observe and take notes
As the participant works through the scenarios, your team should remain as unobtrusive as possible. This ensures the user feels comfortable and that their natural behaviors are not influenced. Focus on documenting:
- Specific actions they take (or avoid)
- Verbalized thoughts and emotions (“This button is confusing” or “I like how simple this is”)
- Points of hesitation or frustration
6. Wrap up with open-ended questions
After the scenarios, debrief with a short interview to gather additional insights. Use open-ended questions to encourage reflective feedback:
- “What did you find challenging?”
- “How could this feature be improved?”
- “Was anything surprising or unexpected?”
Pro tip: Summarize their responses back to them to confirm you’ve captured their thoughts accurately.
Insight: Focus on onboarding for SaaS
For SaaS products, onboarding is often the user’s first real interaction with your product—and a make-or-break moment for retention. During testing, include scenarios that evaluate whether users can:
- Set up an account or profile easily.
- Understand your product’s core value without assistance.
- Access support or help documentation when needed.
Why it matters: Onboarding flow issues are a leading cause of churn. User testing at this stage ensures that you’re giving users a seamless start.
7. Thank the user and end the session
End on a positive note by thanking the participant for their time and feedback. If you can, provide a small incentive, such as a gift card or branded swag, as a token of appreciation.
Running a successful session requires balancing structure with flexibility. By following these steps and creating a supportive environment, you’ll uncover the insights you need to refine your product and deliver a better experience for your users.
Synthesize and report insights
The real value of user testing lies not just in collecting data but in how you synthesize and present findings. For product leaders, the goal is to translate user feedback into actionable insights that directly tie to business goals. A well-structured report can rally your team around priorities and drive meaningful improvements.
Tips for reporting:
- Use frameworks to structure discussions:
Frameworks like “What, So What, Now What” can help organize findings and align them with business objectives:- What: Describe the observation (e.g., “Users struggled to locate the search bar.”).
- So What: Explain the impact (e.g., “This could lead to frustration and task abandonment.”).
- Now What: Suggest next steps (e.g., “Move the search bar to a more prominent location.”).
- Highlight user quotes for impact:
Include direct user quotes to humanize feedback and illustrate pain points. For example:- “I didn’t even notice this button—it blends in too much with the background.”
- These quotes resonate with stakeholders and provide clear evidence of user frustrations or preferences.
- Provide visual evidence:
Incorporate visuals like heatmaps, journey maps, or short video clips from testing sessions to make findings more tangible. Seeing a user struggle in real-time often has a stronger impact than a written report alone. - Tie recommendations to business goals:
Present clear, actionable recommendations with measurable outcomes. For example:- “Improving this dashboard flow could reduce churn by 10% by helping users find key features faster.”
- “Simplifying onboarding could increase trial-to-paid conversion rates by 15%.”
- Summarize key insights for quick reference:
Include an executive summary at the beginning of your report for stakeholders who may not have time to dive into the full findings.
By focusing on clarity, impact, and actionable recommendations, your report can move beyond data collection to drive real change. The goal is not just to inform, but to inspire action.
Case study: For Central Health, our user testing identified pain points in their site navigation. We created a patient-focused design that improved task completion rates and simplified access to key resources.
Avoid common pitfalls
Even the best plans can go awry. Avoid these mistakes:
- Testing the wrong audience: Make sure participants match your target users.
- Leading the user: Avoid influencing their feedback with suggestive phrasing.
- Ignoring context: Understand the user’s environment and goals.
Case study: During our work on the Buildwitt learning platform, user testing helped refine critical design decisions. By conducting targeted research with key user groups, we uncovered specific usability improvements that ensured the platform met the needs of its audience. This iterative testing approach contributed to a more intuitive and effective learning experience.
Scale user testing in agile teams
In the fast-paced world of Agile development, integrating user testing can feel like a challenge. However, when done right, it becomes a natural part of the process—delivering continuous insights to refine your product at every stage. Here’s how to scale user testing effectively in Agile environments:
1. Test during sprints
User testing doesn’t have to slow your team down. By aligning testing sessions with sprint cycles, you can gather quick, actionable feedback without derailing development timelines.
How to integrate testing into sprints:
- Dedicate a portion of the sprint (e.g., two days) to conducting and analyzing user tests.
- Focus on testing smaller, incremental changes rather than the entire product.
- Schedule tests early in the sprint to allow time for adjustments based on findings.
Pro tip: Combine usability testing with sprint demos. For example, present a new feature to internal stakeholders during a sprint review, then conduct a usability session with external users to validate its functionality.
2. Use digital tools for efficiency
Digital platforms streamline testing and feedback collection, making it easier to test remotely and analyze results quickly. For SaaS teams, these tools are especially valuable for gathering diverse feedback.
Recommended tools:
- Lookback: For recording and observing remote testing sessions.
- Maze: For asynchronous usability tests that don’t require live facilitation.
- Optimal workshop: For tree testing or card sorting to evaluate navigation.
- Hotjar or FullStory: To collect user behavior data for context between tests.
Pro tip: Set up a repository of user testing recordings and notes in your project management tool (like Jira or Confluence) so insights are easily accessible to the entire team.
3. Build a testing culture
Scaling user testing requires more than tools and processes. It requires a cultural shift within your team. When all team members value and prioritize user feedback, testing becomes second nature.
How to foster a testing culture:
- Involve stakeholders in testing sessions: Invite product managers, developers, and designers to observe sessions firsthand. Seeing real users interact with the product creates buy-in and alignment.
- Encourage continuous learning: Share key takeaways from testing sessions during sprint retrospectives or team meetings. Highlight how user feedback has led to specific improvements.
- Empower cross-functional teams to run tests: Equip team members with the tools and training needed to conduct basic user testing independently.
Pro tip: Normalize iterative testing by framing it as a vital part of product success, not an optional task. For example, treat testing insights as “user stories” to be addressed in upcoming sprints.
4. Prioritize feedback
In Agile, feedback is often abundant but must be prioritized effectively. Not every usability issue can or should be resolved immediately. Instead, focus on areas that align most closely with business goals and user satisfaction.
Tips for prioritizing feedback:
- Use a severity rating scale (e.g., critical, moderate, low) to rank issues.
- Focus on pain points affecting primary workflows or user retention.
- Incorporate feedback into your backlog and address it in future sprints.
Pro tip: Share “quick wins” during sprint reviews to show how user testing directly improves the product.
Key takeaways
User testing is an essential tool for product leaders aiming to build successful, user-centered products. This user testing guide for product leaders has highlighted actionable strategies to streamline your testing process, gain meaningful insights, and drive measurable improvements. To wrap up, here are the key takeaways to help you integrate user testing into your product development approach effectively:
- Start small: Even testing with 6 users can uncover 85 percent of usability issues.
- Focus on ROI: Tie your findings to business goals to gain stakeholder buy-in.
- Make it a habit: Continuous testing ensures you stay aligned with user needs.
User testing is more than a process—it’s a mindset. By investing in user testing, product leaders can build products that not only meet but exceed user expectations.
Ready to take your product to the next level? Contact Standard Beagle for a customized user testing plan that delivers results.
