Do you test high-risk features with real users before launch?
Updated by Tiago Araújo [SSW] 11 days ago. See history
Shipping a high-risk feature without testing it with users is a gamble. If your update affects sign-up flows, checkout processes, or dashboards, you can’t afford to guess. Usability issues that slip through can cost you revenue, reputation, and rework time.
Even experienced designers and developers miss things. The only way to validate an interface is to observe real users attempting real tasks.
Why test usability?
According to NN/g, usability testing helps you:
- Catch usability issues before they reach production
- Improve clarity in copy, layout, and task flow
- Understand user behavior, expectations, and intent
- Validate key design decisions with confidence
Even a small round of usability tests can surface critical blockers before they impact real users.
What features should always be tested?
Prioritize usability testing when a feature is:
- Critical to business outcomes (e.g. sign-up, checkout, dashboards)
- Expensive or time-consuming to change after release
- Related to onboarding or first-time experiences
- Brand new or involves complex flows
- Shared by multiple user roles or departments
When in doubt, test it. It’s always cheaper than fixing issues after the fact.
How to run a quick usability test
Usability testing doesn’t require a lab or a research degree. Anyone on the team can run a simple test with these three elements:
| Element | What it is |
| Facilitator | A neutral observer. They give instructions, avoid leading, and prompt users to think aloud. |
| Tasks | Realistic scenarios such as: “Find the report for Q2 and download it.” Task phrasing matters. Don’t guide or prime. |
| Participant | A real or representative user. Ask them to narrate their actions and thoughts as they go. |
Tip from NN/g: 5 users is enough for a qualitative test. This reveals around 80–85% of the most common usability issues.
Remote or in-person?
Either works. Choose what suits your access to users:
- In-person – Office, lab, or meeting room
- Remote (moderated) – Over Zoom or Teams with screensharing
- Remote (unmoderated) – Use tools like Maze or UserTesting to capture session recordings
You don’t need fancy tools. Sometimes, all you need is a few users and a fresh perspective.
Example
You’ve redesigned the onboarding flow for your app. Before launch, you run usability tests with 5 new users. On screen 2, all participants misinterpret the CTA and hesitate. You tweak the language and spacing before release.
✅ Figure: Good example – You fixed a usability blocker before it impacted users
You launch a major dashboard redesign without testing. Support tickets flood in. Users are confused by ambiguous icon labels and can’t find the filters.
❌ Figure: Bad example – Avoidable UX issues caused friction and hurt trust
Bonus tip: Test before the code
You don’t have to wait for development. Early testing with wireframes or clickable prototypes can reveal the same usability issues at a fraction of the cost.
Try a 3-day usability sprint:
Day 1 – Write tasks and prep the prototype.
Day 2 – Test with 5 users.
Day 3 – Analyze findings and make improvements.