Summary
Learn about the concept testing methodology and various approaches available, when to use them, the types of decisions they can support, and the process to conduct good concept testing with mixed methodologies in mind.
Key Insights
-
•
Concept testing is mainly used before product development to validate if a product or feature idea meets a real market need.
-
•
There are three types of concept testing: pure concept (what), positioning concept (why), and advertising concept (how).
-
•
UX research often neglects concept testing, focusing more on user experience post-approval rather than validating product necessity beforehand.
-
•
Monadic, sequential, and trade-off (MaxDiff and conjoint analysis) are the main testing methodologies, each with unique strengths and limitations.
-
•
Trade-off techniques like MaxDiff and conjoint analysis have higher discriminatory power than rating scales and suit complex prioritization problems.
-
•
Qualitative research should precede quantitative concept testing to formulate hypotheses and help create relevant test concepts.
-
•
Qualitative research alone cannot measure the problem's size or market impact, making quantitative validation essential.
-
•
Concept testing designs must consider branding, pricing presentation, target population, and decision rules to ensure meaningful results.
-
•
Pragmatic approaches like AB testing or ad campaigns measure behavioral response but lack insight into the ‘why’ behind consumer choices.
-
•
One can start concept testing simply with monadic tests using common survey tools, progressing to advanced trade-off techniques as resources allow.
Notable Quotes
"Concept testing is about testing ideas related to product features and benefits before development."
"UX researchers tend to be more involved in researching the user experience after a product or feature idea has been approved."
"When we don’t start with whether a product or feature is needed, we risk failing to align product development with business goals and user needs."
"People care not so much about product features, but what these features do for them."
"MaxDiff is a great approach to prioritizing the product feature backlog and can handle dozens of items efficiently."
"Qualitative research helps understand the range of behaviors, motivations, and contexts, which guides better concept design."
"No research method is perfect; it’s about selecting the right approach that fits the research questions and problem."
"Concept testing can connect the dots between UX discovery research and business outcomes, making product development more efficient."
"You don’t have to do advanced concept testing yourself if you lack expertise; building a business case to partner with specialists is key."
"Monadic testing suits complex concepts that need detailed attention, avoiding user fatigue in surveys with multiple concepts."
Or choose a question:
More Videos
"We want teams to have autonomy and power to make pivot, shelve, and proceed decisions, not leadership dictating."
Standardizing Product Merits for Leaders, Designers, and Everyone
June 15, 2018
"There’s no such thing as one-size-fits-all methods; what works in one part of the map doesn’t work in another."
Simon WardleyMaps and Topographical Intelligence (Videoconference)
January 31, 2019
"The Reflexive Compass helps us discern bias patterns early, take accountability, and measure impact."
Sandra CamachoCreating More Bias-Proof Designs
January 22, 2025
"By observing, appealing to interests, and promoting accountability, we can build empathy and respect to combat toxicity."
Darian DavisLessons from a Toxic Work Relationship
January 8, 2024
"Providing more holistic recommendations helped us gain more trust and buy-in from stakeholders, increasing UX maturity."
Fisayo Osilaja[Demo] The AI edge: From researcher to strategist
June 4, 2024
"Temporary, quick, and sometimes rough artifacts have a lifespan just long enough for the conversation they enable."
Uday GajendarThe Wicked Craft of Enterprise UX
May 13, 2015
"Service blueprints would have helped business units understand backend impacts and responsibilities."
Davis Neable Guy SegalHow to Drive a Design Project When you Don’t Have a Design Team
June 10, 2021
"People were very adverse to changes because a small 0.5% conversion increase meant millions in revenue."
Eniola OluwoleLessons From the DesignOps Journey of the World's Largest Travel Site
October 24, 2019
"We believe tracking design metrics aligned to business goals is important to demonstrate design’s impact."
Aurobinda Pradhan Shashank DeshpandeIntroduction to Collaborative DesignOps using Cubyts
September 9, 2022
