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Ask HN: How to effectively get feedback from users?

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Re: Ask HN: How to effectively get feedback from users?

#71

Post by alangibson »

toast76 wrote: post #39
aliakhtar wrote: post #37

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Looks cool, but why can't I find a screenshot of what the widget would look like on my website anywhere? Edit: Found the answer on the video. Looks like nothing is shown until the founder starts a call with the user. Suggestions: - It'd be great if the user could initiate calls too, e.g if they fit in a certain group, let them initiate a call as a form of 'customer support' - Can you allow audio only calls? I LOVE th…

Sorry, we are still working on the landing page. We don't show the user anything until you call them (so as to not interfere with drift/intercom etc). When you call them the current UI is like a mobile call UI. EDIT: we are working on user initiated calling as we speak (it will show availability of support staff/CSRs) Audio-only calling is in the next week or two

Nice design, but I'd definitely get some screenshots toward the top of the first page. As a non-video-watcher, that's the first thing I look for.

Re: Ask HN: How to effectively get feedback from users?

#74

Post by spoiler »

inetknght wrote: post #60
sojournerc wrote: post #59

Earlier quoted context omitted.

If the user is consenting to a usability study, it's not really an invasion of privacy. It should obviously be removed afterwards.

> If the user is consenting to a usability study, it's not really an invasion of privacy. I fully disagree. Consenting to a usability study means I want to provide feedback and actively state what I'm doing, why I'm doing it, and what I didn't expect. It does not mean I want you to see what I do, where I leave my mouse, what I click on, what input I type -- and what input I then delete. If I wanted that then I would…

Disclaimer: I'm not an UX designer/analyst, but I've worked with people from the field closely.

> I fully disagree. Consenting to a usability study means I want to provide feedback and actively state what I'm doing, why I'm doing it, and what I didn't expect.

This is fine for an UX study that conducts in-person interviews as _one_ of the methods. This method is almost useless on its own, mostly because people behave differently when they know they're being observed (eg they do things in a more "optimal way" in order to avoid looking stupid in front of the person conducting the study).

Also, while active feedback is valuable, it can be harder to interpret. People say A, but mean B and then do something between A and B or just do C. Not because they're malicious, but because that was what came to mind when they tried to express something or just didn't know better, so there's an unintentional misalignment between intent, action, and what was expressed.

> It does not mean I want you to see what I do, where I leave my mouse, what I click on, what input I type -- and what input I then delete. If I wanted that then I would take screenshots or a video and share that.

This is exactly the type of thing you (as a designer) _want_ to know in order to identify friction and remove it. Obviously, you track what the user types only under certain conditions. An example would be, a number input: do user always type the same/similar values or increments of some values (isolated per user), should the input offer pre-defined incementors or buttons that just fill-and-submit it instantly (you'd do AB tests to see which work better then), etc.

I fully understand your concern about privacy, but not everything is run by reprobates who sell user's data. Sometimes "observing" is the best/easiest way to learn how to improve a user's experience.

Re: Ask HN: How to effectively get feedback from users?

#77

Post by sojournerc »

inetknght wrote: post #60
sojournerc wrote: post #59

Earlier quoted context omitted.

If the user is consenting to a usability study, it's not really an invasion of privacy. It should obviously be removed afterwards.

> If the user is consenting to a usability study, it's not really an invasion of privacy. I fully disagree. Consenting to a usability study means I want to provide feedback and actively state what I'm doing, why I'm doing it, and what I didn't expect. It does not mean I want you to see what I do, where I leave my mouse, what I click on, what input I type -- and what input I then delete. If I wanted that then I would…

So long as the methods of the study are fully-disclosed there is no issue here, and no invasion of privacy.

You would prefer not to participate in such a study, and that is perfectly fair.

That doesn't mean its an ineffective method for observing how users interact with software.

I've been surprised many times with (in-person) usability studies where we ask users to perform certain tasks with the tool. It's a great way to improve UX.

Re: Ask HN: How to effectively get feedback from users?

#78

Post by DeonPenny »

You have to call them. The mom test has a great framework. But the best way it to ask for advice. Setup and low barrier impropt call right away not days away. Also prep questions you need answered before hand.

Don't make the conversation too formal. Don't use surveys. Don't try to automate this process. It much less effective.

Re: Ask HN: How to effectively get feedback from users?

#79

Post by hermitcrab »

JNRowe wrote: post #28
hermitcrab wrote: post #8

I have found the most effective way is to email users with an open question (not a survey form) about 7 days after purchase. "We are very interested in how you are getting on with . Please email us if you have any suggestions about how we can improve ." But that only works if you are getting sales. Also the more responsive you are to customers, the more likely they are to report bugs or make suggestions. I wrote abou…

I find it surprising that you only had one "stop spamming me" reply. I've cancelled two services that have sent similar mails, and I figured I wouldn't be /that/ unusual. My assumption being that if you're sending unsolicited mails so quickly, then I should be expecting a truckload to arrive by the end of a year. In one of those cases I felt vindicated as I received a bunch of huge exit interview type replies.

>My assumption being that if you're sending unsolicited mails so quickly, then I should be expecting a truckload to arrive by the end of a year.

That would be an incorrect assumption (in my case, anyway).

Re: Ask HN: How to effectively get feedback from users?

#80

Post by XCSme »

grandvoye wrote: post #5

Some ideas that have worked well for me in b2b/SaaS: * If you're pre-product/market fit, just reach out to users via email, in-product messaging etc. You can incentivize them with Amazon gift cards as well. At this stage nobody actually needs your product so you'll have to do it by hook or by crook. * If you're post-product/market fit then people actually _need_ your business. Once you make it clear that you're going…

Instead of Hotjar you might want to consider https://www.usertrack.net, better for user privacy and you get more stats.
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