MethodsVisual preference testing
What
A method that allows potential users to review and provide feedback on a solution’s visual direction.
Why
To align the established branding guidelines and attributes of a solution with the way end users view the overall brand and emotional feel.
Templates
How to do it
- Create iterations of a style tile that represent directions a final visual design may follow. If branding guidelines or attributes don’t exist, establish them with stakeholders beforehand.
- Interview participants about their reaction to the style tiles.
- Ask questions as objectively as possible.
- Align questions with the branding guidelines and attributes your project must incorporate.
- As far as possible, allow participants to provide their feedback unmoderated or at the end of your research.
- Compare the results of your research with the agency’s published branding guidelines and attributes.
- Publish the results to the complete product team and decide which direction will guide future design efforts.
Additional resources
- Rapid Desirability Testing: A Case Study. Michael Hawley.
- Preference and Desirability Testing: Measuring Emotional Response to Guide Design. Michael Hawley and Paul Doncaster.
- Using the Microsoft Desirability Toolkit to Test Visual Appeal. Nielsen Norman Group.
Considerations for use in government
No PRA implications. The PRA explicitly exempts direct observation and non-standardized conversation, 5 CFR 1320.3(h)3. See the methods for Recruiting and Privacy for more tips on taking input from the public.