Good games are created through playtesting. Jesse Schell We specialize in playtesting mobile applications and games, as well as engaging with product s target audience representatives: Today, qualitative playtesting any mobile application or game is a crucial part of their development process. It enables developers to evaluate their products at each stage of development, ensure they don t fall prey to avoidable mistakes, and minimize their development costs by streamlining the process as a whole. In keeping with the (simplified) project maintenance pipeline featured above, playtests should be performed roughly every 2 3 weeks in order to effectively track product quality and its changing dynamics. Thus during a ½ year long development cycle between 12 15 playtests would be performed, aggregating a total of between 300 400 detailed user feedback reports and as a function dramatically improving final product quality.
What playtesting is and how it could be useful for your product: Playtest is the structured testing of any given application by members of its target audience, the result of which is detailed, highly formalized feedback compiled via specially developed questionnaires. All target audience testers introduced to the products they test will have never experienced them before, ensuring that they catch the maximum number of potential errors, mistakes, and make notes on possible improvements with fresh unbiased eyes. Furthermore, if necessary, developers may collect information on what testers would have liked to see within the apps they test and suggestions for future improvement as well. Depending on testing needs and focuses we have the capability to recruit either casual players or hardcore app users/ mobile gamers for use as our core tester groups. Our proprietary methods allow us to quickly collect data regarding different target groups reactions to specific app/ game features, functional/ structural problems during use, and other specific issues. As a result this gives developers a clear understanding of the problems within their product and an intuitive roadmap to fix their apps/ games, whether its interface optimization, bug resolution, or anything else. It s all made possible by opening up applications to much wider, and as so much more constructive, audience critiques. An easily understandable interface and use flow are crucial to promoting the success of games/ apps. Research shows that if users don t easily understand the concept of an application or its control schemes intuitively they are likely to abandon the using it permanently. (Eric Preisz, Torque company (Garagegames), researchers from Full Sail center)
Playtest Implementation Stages Development or adaptation of existing research tools (questionnaires) custom tailored for use with the product due to be tested. Recruiting participants (test group) which fall in line with the product s target audience group. Playtest product with collected test group. Collect data and testers opinions via custom tailored questionnaire. Process questionnaire data, review product improvement recommendations, and synthesize results (concrete points for product improvement) based on collected data & opinions. Playtest Solves Needed Development Steps Simultaneously: Dramatically reduces overall project cost. Gathering objective data regarding project development & product perception by its target audience base. Circumvent significant development oversights (mistakes) and efficiently rework the application early on in the development process. Adjustment of overall development life cycle in accordance with expectations from its target audience. Safeguards developers from making improper time and resource investments during development. Enables realization of ideas in an optimally profitable fashion. And perhaps most importantly Effectively maximizes the user experience! Who benefits from playtesting? You: Are a developer or publisher. Develop mobile games / applications. Created a first build of a mobile application/ game.
How playtest differs from other research methods: Indicator Playtest Beta Test Focus Group Feedback from target audiences Yes No Yes Guaranteed feedback Yes No Yes Early development stage implementation Yes No Partly User activity observation Yes No Partly Full scenario of user actions Yes No Yes Answers according to specific question lists Yes No Yes Recommendations from the target audience Yes No Yes Ability to make impartial measurements Yes Partly Partly Risk of negative market impact No Yes No Generally speaking, alternate application testing methods feature other minor shortcomings not featured in the above table as well. Beta Testing requires far greater effort and roughly ten times as much money to implement as playtesting, while offering far less data deliverables in the interim. Focus Group Testing is not quantitative product quality/ user experience solution. This form of testing serves more as a means to introduce the product to an audience and get a holistic sense for overall quality, ideal product parameters, and general quality improvement markers. This won t won t help with detailed or deep application study nor will it provide adequately detailed feedback. Additional details New testing participants are recruited for every specific project in order to ensure they meet a given product s target audience base. No participants have any link to marketing, advertising, or psychology related fields, and has never worked in application development. Developers or their representatives are free to observe the testing process in full. Depending on the task, Playtestix experts will devise additional research methods or update playtesting methodology.
What do you get with Playtestix? Qualitatively collected testing group according to your product s target audience parameters. Testing devices. Experienced observers who specialize on studying mobile games and applications. Professional consultation and expert recommendations from marketing and development teams. Availability of anonymous testing the audience will not be informed of who the developer is to avoid information leaks. Call or email us for a brief consultation on any questions/concerns you have regarding playtesting. We d be happy to hear from you. You may also arrange a meeting with us directly to discuss your specific playtesting needs.