Mahalo user testing
Guide Note: At Mahalo, we conduct open-ended, non-directed listening labs to understand the experience customers have when they use Mahalo and competitor sites. This page features highlight videos from our listening labs and background on the listening lab methodology.
Introduction to Mahalo User Testing
- At Mahalo, we conduct open-ended, non-directed listening labs to understand the experience customers have when they use Mahalo and competitor sites. The methodology we use was invented by Mark Hurst, the founder of Creative Good.
- All listening labs are recorded. We create short highlight videos to call out the key findings.
Feedback or Questions About Mahalo's User Testing?
- Have a question, feedback, or an idea for a future test? Please use the message board for this page or email usertesting at mahalo dot com Thanks!
Background on Listening Lab User Testing Methodology
- Overview of Listening Lab Methodology
- Tips on Moderating Listening Labs
- What Happens After Customer Research?
- The Page Paradigm
- We use a screener intended to recruit participants who meet the following general criteria; people who use the web more than 8 hours a week and plan to use the internet to research information in verticals that Mahalo currently covers.
- Each lab starts with an interview to put the customer at ease and understand how the customer currently uses the web to conduct research in verticals relevant to Mahalo. What websites do they use? What's the process they go through? What's a specific example of research the customer is planning to do or completed recently?
- After a few specific examples of research the customer plans to do have been identified, the customer is asked to turn to the computer and show the moderator how she would conduct one of the tasks she just described. The customer is also asked to describe what they're thinking as they research online.
- For the rest of the session the moderator observes the customer and only asks questions to clarify what the customer has said or expressed or to change direction when necessary. At the end of the session, the moderator may ask a few directed questions or ask the customer to try to complete a few directed tasks.
