Conducting Inherent Value Testing

Preparing for Inherent Value Testing

Before you drop a test into the wild, you must build a solid foundation. Start by defining the goal: you want to hear how your site communicates the real value it offers to its users. Think of the test as a conversation with people who live, work, or dream around the product. The more natural the conversation, the truer the insights you’ll capture.

The first step is recruiting the right participants. You’ll need two distinct groups. One group consists of users who already understand the site’s purpose and have used it regularly. The other group contains people who are either new to the service or have never visited the site. When you have two sides, you’ll see how familiarity changes perception of value.

For a healthy sample, aim for at least six people in each group. That gives you enough voices to spot patterns while keeping the study manageable. In larger organizations, recruit a few more to ensure representation across job functions or demographics.

Next, choose realistic tasks. When you ask experienced users to bring their own work to the test, you allow them to tackle real problems rather than a scripted tour. If you’re testing an HR intranet, ask employees to look up their benefits or plan a retirement change. The tasks should feel like everyday chores that the site was built to simplify.

New users, on the other hand, can’t rely on real work unless you’re ready to handle sensitive data. Instead, give them role‑play scenarios that mirror the experienced users’ tasks. For instance, ask a new hire to imagine starting a new baby and to locate the family‑leave policy. Let them weave in their own details like manager name or project deadlines to keep the scenario authentic.

Guiding participants is acceptable in Inherent Value Testing. While a pure usability test might avoid leading, you want to hear opinions about specific sections. Encourage users to share what they notice and why. If a participant mentions, “The retirement page is confusing,” ask follow‑up questions: “What makes it confusing? What would make it clearer?” The goal is to surface underlying values, not surface‑level design preferences.

Another useful tactic is to ask participants to tour a competitor’s site. After they finish your test, have them explore a similar platform and describe likes and dislikes. The comparison sharpens their focus on your site’s strengths and weaknesses and provides a benchmark for improvement.

When the pre‑test stage is complete, you’ll have a clear participant roster, realistic tasks, and a plan to elicit candid feedback. You’re now ready to move to the first phase, where the experienced users will let you hear their current perceptions of value.

Phase I – Listening to the Experienced

In the first phase, you invite users who already know the site’s ropes. Their familiarity lets you hear what value is already communicated and what gaps remain hidden. Start the session by explaining the purpose: you’re interested in the benefits they perceive, not in judging their performance.

Give them the same real‑world tasks they’ve tackled before. For example, ask an HR specialist to update their health‑plan selection or to locate a specific policy document. Watch how they navigate. Do they head straight to the help center? Do they hover over the FAQ? Pay attention to the paths they choose and the pages they visit.

As they work, prompt them to voice their thoughts. When a user clicks on a benefits page, ask, “What stands out to you here?” or “Why did you decide to click on that section?” Avoid asking about fonts or colors; instead, ask what makes the information useful or complete. If they say, “I like how the details are organized,” follow up: “What about the organization makes it useful?” This drill forces them to articulate the underlying value, not just surface preferences.

When a user finishes a task, gather their first impressions of the entire site. Ask, “What’s one thing you really liked about the experience?” and, “What’s one thing you found frustrating?” These open‑ended questions let users choose their own words. The most telling answers usually emerge without much prompting; they reflect what truly matters to the user.

Record every comment, even the brief ones. Later, you’ll group similar remarks to spot themes. For instance, if several participants mention “easy navigation” or “quick access,” you’ll see that speed is a valued benefit. Conversely, if many complain about “hidden features,” you’ll know to bring those features to the foreground.

At the end of Phase I, you should have a collection of user‑described benefits and pain points. You’ll see which features shine and which fall into the background. This insight sets the stage for the next phase, where you’ll discover how new users perceive the same site.

Phase II – Watching New Users Discover

Phase II flips the perspective. Bring in participants who are either brand‑new to the site or have never visited it. They approach the interface with fresh eyes, so the way value is communicated becomes starkly visible. Use the same realistic tasks or role‑play scenarios you gave to experienced users, so the comparison remains fair.

During the test, watch how the new users navigate. Do they land on the same landing page as the experienced users? Do they stumble over navigation labels or get lost in a complex hierarchy? Their first impressions reveal whether the site’s value proposition is clear at first glance.

Ask them to verbalize what they see as they move through each page. When they encounter a feature, prompt, “What do you think this is for?” or “Why do you think this page exists?” These questions surface whether the site’s benefits are obvious or require discovery.

Compare the new users’ comments to the experienced users’ feedback. If an experienced user praised a “quick‑access” feature, but a new user was unaware of it, you’ve identified a visibility issue. Conversely, if new users immediately recognize a core benefit, that speaks to strong communication.

Throughout Phase II, take notes on any usability obstacles. A new user’s frustration can signal a hidden barrier that seasoned users have overcome through muscle memory or prior knowledge. Documenting these obstacles gives you concrete areas for redesign.

When the session ends, ask the participants to reflect on the overall experience. Which aspects felt most useful? Which felt confusing or unnecessary? The direct comparison to Phase I will highlight how the perceived value shifts with familiarity.

With both phases complete, you possess a dual lens: experienced users reveal which benefits are already understood, and new users show which benefits require clearer communication. The next step is turning this insight into action.

Turning Data into Action

After gathering all the user observations, start by mapping the benefits and pain points you uncovered. Use a simple matrix: list the benefits on one axis and the user groups on the other. Mark where each group sees each benefit. This visual tool shows gaps immediately - for instance, a benefit that is clear for experienced users but invisible to newcomers.

From this map, prioritize improvements. First, consider enhancements that bring hidden benefits into view for new users. A small change - like adding a prominent link or a tooltip - can make a large difference. The advantage is that these tweaks typically cost less than building entirely new features.

Second, evaluate whether the benefits you already communicate are truly valuable to the users. If an experienced user consistently mentions “easy navigation” but a new user finds navigation confusing, the benefit may not be as universal as assumed. In that case, refactor the navigation structure or provide a quick‑start guide.

When estimating impact, think in numbers. If your organization has 3,000 employees, and 1,200 are new hires each year, improving the new‑user experience could reduce help‑desk tickets by a measurable amount. Multiply the average ticket‑handling cost by the projected reduction to estimate savings. Similarly, if better communication of value drives quicker adoption of a feature, estimate increased usage and its revenue impact.

Finally, incorporate the findings into your product roadmap. Use the benefits map to justify resource allocation: invest in design changes that improve visibility of high‑value features, or allocate more time to training materials for new users. When you present these recommendations, align them with business outcomes - cost savings, higher engagement, or faster onboarding - so decision makers can see the tangible ROI.

Inherent Value Testing is a straightforward, low‑cost add‑on to any usability study. By separating experienced and new users, you uncover how value is perceived at each stage. The insights you gain translate directly into smarter design decisions, better user satisfaction, and ultimately stronger business performance.

Jared, a seasoned software developer and programmer, founded User Interface Engineering in 1988. With more than 15 years of experience conducting usability evaluations on a variety of products, he is an expert in low‑fidelity prototyping techniques. For more information on usability, visit jspool@uie.com