A Playtesting Primer

Let’s chunk a usability playtest into seven distinct steps:

Step 1 - Aligning on a Clear Purpose
Why are we doing this playtest? How will this help the team move forwards?

Step 2 - Preparing
What needs to be in order before you can begin a usability playtest?

Step 3 - Observing
How to observe the player and codify their behaviour.

Step 4 - Interviewing
How to reliably interview the player without altering their mental model.

Step 5 - Sensemaking
How to align the team on what happened during the playtests.

Step 6 - Knowledge Sharing
How to create a shared understanding of the playtest findings throughout the team.

Step 7 - Aligning on Action
How to move from awareness to action. The usability findings will only help improve your game if they’re acted on.

Key Takeaway

Having a clear approach to playtesting makes the process easier to learn and repeatable to a consistent standard.