Guide
How to test a prototype with five people
You do not need a research team to learn whether a flow works. Five people, a clickable prototype and an hour of your week will show you the biggest problems.
1. Pick one assumption
Write down the riskiest thing you believe. For example: "people will notice the trial end date". A test that tries to check everything checks nothing.
2. Try the cheap checks first
Can existing data answer it? Support tickets, refunds or analytics often can. Can someone in your team answer it, like legal or support? If so, you may not need a user test at all.
3. Build only what the test needs
The prototype only needs the screens the tasks touch. It should look real enough that people react to the flow, not the placeholder styling.
4. Write two or three tasks
Describe a goal, not the clicks: "You want to try this with your team. Show me how you would start." Then say nothing and watch.
5. Run five short sessions
- Recruit people who match who the flow is for.
- Ask them to think aloud.
- Note where they hesitate, what they say, and whether they finish.
6. Decide
If three or more people trip at the same step, change it. Then decide whether your assumption held, broke, or needs another round.
How Pixatom helps
Pixatom picks the riskiest assumption from your flow, suggests the cheaper checks, builds the prototype in your brand and gives you the tasks and what to watch for. Log the results and the blueprint updates.