Guerrilla Testing: Cost-Effective, Rapid User Insights
Sophie Collins
on
User-driven design, grounded in robust user research, is the cornerstone of successful digital products. By deeply understanding your users and their unique challenges, you can create solutions that address genuine problems and drive measurable results, such as improved conversion rates and user satisfaction.
But let’s face it—recruiting participants for user research can be expensive and time-consuming. When you’re constrained by tight budgets or deadlines, how can you ensure your ideas and designs are validated before launch? The answer is guerrilla testing.
What is Guerrilla Testing?
Guerrilla testing is a highly efficient and cost-effective user research method that brings testing into users’ everyday environments, such as at Trade Fairs or cafes. Unlike traditional user testing, which typically involves longer, more formal sessions with a smaller group of participants, guerrilla testing takes a different approach.
Why Guerrilla Testing Works
Think 50 quick 5-minute tests instead of 5 intensive hour-long sessions. This method enables:
Rapid Validation: Quickly determine whether your solution works and uncover high-level user needs.
Cost Savings: Avoid the expenses associated with in-depth user research, interviews, and analytics.
Future Investment: Build a pool of contacts for ongoing user testing, reducing recruitment costs down the line.
By adopting guerrilla testing, you’re not just solving immediate challenges; you’re strategically investing in the long-term success of your product.
A Real-World Example: RS Group and Think Hub
To demonstrate the impact of guerrilla testing, let’s look at our collaboration with RS Group. They needed to validate Think Hub, their innovative platform designed to help engineers identify solutions faster. The challenge? Engineers are a highly skilled, diverse user group, making recruitment expensive and complex.
Our solution was to take guerrilla testing directly to the Smart Production Solutions trade fair in Nuremberg. This event attracts 50,000 attendees, including thousands of engineers—the perfect audience for our research.
Here’s what we achieved:
Conducted over 70 high-value tests during the event.
Identified key usability issues and validated the platform’s value with real users.
Built a database of engaged participants for future testing, converting 29% of users tested into long-term research contacts.
The results were clear: a 400% ROI for RS Group. Not only did they receive actionable recommendations to improve Think Hub, but they also secured ongoing value through reduced recruitment costs.
How Guerrilla Testing Can Work for You
Make the most of industry conferences and trade fairs by transforming them into opportunities for user research. Here’s how we partner with organisations like yours to deliver impactful insights.
Collaborative Planning
We run workshops to explore your business needs, user challenges, and underperforming product areas.
Our team develops bespoke test plans tailored to your objectives.
On-Site Testing
Our researchers attend the event with you, either stationed at your exhibition space or moving around the venue to engage attendees.
We conduct brief, impactful tests with real users to explore their needs and perceptions.
Actionable Insights
After the event, we analyse the results and provide a custom report. This includes detailed findings and prioritised recommendations to address usability challenges.
You’ll leave with a clear roadmap for improvement, backed by user data and insights.
Guerrilla testing is more than just a cost-effective solution; it’s a strategic tool that empowers you to create better products, faster.
Sophie Collins
UX Designer
Sophie, a UX and Agile enthusiast with a background in Product Ownership and Software Testing, brings pragmatism and quality to every stage of the software delivery lifecycle. With experience across industries like finance, insurance, and e-commerce, she has spoken at software conferences on agile practices and is a Certified Scrum Product Owner.
Want to discuss if Guerrilla Testing is right for you?
Get in touch to book your free consultation with our expert team.