Chapter #101. Test with Real Users
This principle is presented last in the list deliberately, to emphasize its importance. Nothing in this book means anything unless you test with real people.
You need to test with real users, not your colleagues, not your boss and not your partner. You need to test with a diverse mix of people, from the widest section of society you can get access to.
User testing is an essential step to understanding not just your product, but the users you're testing—what their goals really are, how they want to achieve them, and where your product delivers or falls short. You'll not only understand your users better, but you'll reduce development time by short-circuiting the feedback loop and getting problems fixed much earlier in the product life cycle.
It's never too early to start testing—an unfinished prototype or even paper prototype (cards or post-it notes that you move around on a desk) can yield valuable insights—so get your product in front of users as soon as...
