Product design theory: Empiricism kills the dead

Empirical Web products eventually become what there are several major ways: The boss's approval, product intuition, design experience, copycat. Of course, there are real research and testing. The first few, in the final analysis is relying on the "experience" and "Sixth Sense", hit the bottom of the heart or the natural thought should do so.

Experience is valuable, you can avoid detours wrong way. But relying too much on experience becomes "empiricism". And "empiricism killed people" This sentence to the website product design also applies, although not necessarily will kill the website, but will deceive people's thinking and innovation. People and products, the real value is people, right?

Let's do a couple of AB tests to see if your experience and intuition will make you make a mistake. These test results are foreign sites using Google Website Optimizer obtained, the accuracy of a certain guarantee.

Test one: Which kind of price ranking scheme proceeds best?

Price sorting test

In both charts, the three price schemes except start, Grow, and Max are sorted differently, with the same content. Well, is the price ranking from high to low or from low to high?

Test two: What kind of scheme has high success rate of registration?

Do you want to add a user selection?

The only difference between the two diagrams is that the first image of the user clicks the "Get Started for free" button, which pops up a window and the user chooses to confirm "are you a designer?" ”。 The remaining two pictures are the same, and eventually all are directed to the free registration page. Need not need such a step to eject?

Test three: Which kind of registration form is more effective to attract registration

Is the registration form a little richer or more concise?

A website registration program that can get free audiobook catalog. The Plan B has 3 more inputs than a: the user's email address, the willingness to accept newsletter choices, and how to learn about the site's questions and answers. Is the registration form item good or simple?

Test four: What kind of page will allow users to use the search box more?

A: Short list

B: Long list

Click to see the larger picture. The test scenarios for these two mozilla.com are basically similar, except for the content list blocks below the search box. Q, what kind of scenario will allow users to use search capabilities more?

When you're in, pick out your favorite option.

Without knowing 4 tests, what would be the answer to your first instinct? Hopefully, before I release the test results, I'll be able to share your choice of answers and why. I hope that after you make the first intuitive choice, then discard the experience and intuition, think hard and give a final answer.