Article: What is the reason for a Concept Test?
A Concept Test Provides Direction and Certainty
Before you launch your idea live, before you build it, it's wise to test whether it actually works. We call this a Concept Test. A Concept Test provides direction. It removes discussion from the process. It ensures that you can work on the development of your service or product with much more confidence. How exactly does that work? We'll explain it.
Quick Overview: What Exactly Is a Concept Test?
In a Concept Test, you validate an idea, a potential solution. You present it to a number of users and discover what they think of it. A concept can come in all shapes and sizes. It can be quite abstract: a storyboard. But also concrete: a prototype. In any case, it must be something you can see or touch. Otherwise, it's too difficult for a user to form an opinion about it. In terms of approach, a Concept Test is very similar to a UX Test, but there are a few important differences. The biggest difference? A Concept Test focuses on the idea, while a UX Test focuses on the execution of that idea.
A Concept Test focuses on the idea, while a UX Test focuses on the execution of that idea.
A Concept Test Steers You in the Right Direction
There are many reasons to do a Concept Test. It brings calm to your process. It provides clarity. Economically, it's smart. We can summarize the main reasons in two clusters:
It builds confidence – By testing your concept early, you can better determine the direction. You should see the concept phase as standing in the middle of an intersection. You can go in all sorts of directions. And then you can do two things:
Just choose a route and start walking. You spend little or no time figuring out the best route. The risk, of course, is that you realize along the way that you've been on the wrong path for a long time. And then you have to go back to the intersection.
You do research. You take some time to figure out which route is the best option. You rule out a number of roads because, after some research and conversations with people, you discover that they definitely won't work.
With a Concept Test, you do the second: you spend time finding the way, so you set off a little later, but with much more confidence.
You spend time finding the way, so you set off a little later, but with much more confidence.
It saves time and money – If you haven't tested your idea, there's a good chance that upon going live, you'll realize it doesn't work the way you envisioned it. That it doesn't fulfill a concrete need. And then all the hard work of your designers and developers will have been for nothing – which is much more costly than a Concept Test.
When Do You Conduct a Concept Test?
Above, we drew a comparison between a Concept Test and standing at an intersection. Now, the question is, of course: how do you know when you're at that intersection? In other words: when exactly should you test?
Decisions need to be made – You can't keep dwelling on ideas forever. Sometimes there's also pressure from within the organization. There comes a moment when you have to make a choice: are we going to further develop this idea, or are we going to kill it? At that moment, you do a Concept Test to make sure you're making the right choice.
You see opportunities and want to seize them – You've done research, mapped the needs of your users, and spotted a number of opportunities. You've also already come up with some potential solutions. Before you start building, you want to check if your idea indeed aligns well with the need you want to fulfill.
You want proof – Ideally, you come up with ideas based on customer insights. But sometimes ideas also come from within the organization. To be sure that those ideas also work for users, you do a Concept Test. You gather proof. You discover whether there is actually a need for this idea. And with that, you go back into the organization.
There comes a moment when you have to make a choice: are we going to further develop this idea, or are we going to kill it? At that moment, you do a Concept Test.
Want to read more about how to approach a Concept Test exactly? You can do so here. If you want to conduct research and need help, you can always email or call us.