If you’ve ever launched a new website, app, or product, you know one thing for sure – what you think works doesn't always line up with what users actually experience. And that’s where the magic of user feedback comes in. It’s the difference between a design that’s frustrating to navigate and one that feels seamless.

Usability testing is one of the most powerful tools for gathering real, actionable feedback. Watching real people interact with your design? That’s where you uncover those “aha” moments – the ones that reveal hidden roadblocks or opportunities that never even crossed your mind.

This chapter looks at real-world usability testing examples that have helped companies transform their user experience. Whether you’re testing navigation, functionality, or overall design flow, these examples will guide you to solutions that work.

 Ready to level up your user experience? Let’s get started.

First click testing

Joom’s first click testing for user navigation

Joom, an international marketplace, looked to optimize the navigation of its catalog screen, where users browse product categories. 

“We had some challenges that seemed quite simple and they didn't need a long qualitative study in order to be resolved," shared Pavel Semenov, Head of Research at Joom. "They needed to be tested quickly, with just a couple of questions to know where we stand.”

Using first click testing, they asked participants to indicate where they’d click to locate specific categories or products. This revealed areas where users struggled, leading Joom to make quick adjustments that improved the overall user experience.

The iterative process helped Joom refine the layout, reduce confusion, and make sure that customers could enjoy a more user-friendly website. 

Canstar's first click testing for improving user interactions

Canstar, a financial comparison platform, needed a way to test small but critical design components quickly. 

“When looking to upgrade, we did look at a few different options in comparison, mainly Maze and Usertesting.com. Lyssna’s functionality more suited our needs – I found that the Figma prototype integration was most stable with Lyssna and I liked the toolset more than the other options,” shared Chris Taylor, Lead Experience Designer at Canstar.

They used first click testing to refine smaller, more impactful design elements so users could easily navigate complex financial data. 

One key test focused on the placement of an arrow, which, after a few minor adjustments,  increased user engagement by 30%.

By using the Lyssna research panel and Figma integration, Chris said that “the ability for us to design a quick mockup, run it on Lyssna and receive feedback within an hour has helped us reach definitive design decisions much sooner than before.” 

Philips Lighting's first click testing for better conversions

Philips Lighting used first click testing to optimize their "Choose a Bulb" page. 

Initially, less than half of users interacted with the tabs to find the right light bulb for their needs. The test identified these usability issues, allowing Philips to refine the page layout. They made it more intuitive to use, which helped customers find the correct products faster. 

YNAB's rapid usability testing for enhanced product development

YNAB, a personal budgeting solution, faced hurdles finding participants quickly for usability testing. 

"Before we used Lyssna, I would try to find participants through whatever networks I could possibly piece together. It was a lot of effort to actually put together a really quick test of something," shared Alan Dennis, Product Design Manager at YNAB

By adopting Lyssna, YNAB transformed their workflow, making it much easier to gather quick, valuable feedback on design concepts. 

They tapped into feedback from internal testers, current users, and Lyssna’s diverse panel, to help them refine key features – like their "Targets" tool – based on real user input. This allowed the team to fine-tune everything, even down to the UI copy, making sure it was clear and intuitive for a complex financial product.

With faster testing cycles, they could make smarter, data-driven decisions in less time, significantly speeding up their design process.

WongDoody's first click testing for improved accessibility

WongDoody (formerly Carter Digital) used first click testing to make the Royal Automobile Club of Victoria’s (RACV) website more accessible and user-friendly. 

"Testing was for the audience and ourselves so we could base decisions on fact, not opinion," shared James Noble, Chief Design Officer at WongDoody. "We couldn’t afford mistakes and had to make sure the outcome was right the first time."

One key test zeroed in on how quickly users could find the emergency contact information for roadside assistance. 

Initially, it took users an average of 19.6 seconds to locate the info. But after several rounds of testing and refining the design, WongDoody cut that time down to just 4.9 seconds – a 75% improvement. 

This data-driven approach allowed them to deliver a smoother, more intuitive experience for RACV’s users.

Prototype testing

Bower Collective's usability testing for sustainable growth

Bower Collective, a UK-based startup committed to reducing plastic waste, turned to Lyssna to better understand their potential customers and improve both their onboarding and product development. 

Using Figma prototype testing and card sorting, they gathered crucial feedback on everything from product design and pricing to customer motivations. 

Fiona Cliffe, Head of Product summed up their challenge: "How do we get the people who are thinking, ‘I should be doing something for the environment and I should be reducing my plastic use, but how do I do that?’"

These findings helped them tackle concerns around the effectiveness of eco-friendly products and improve how they communicated their value. Plus, by quickly recruiting specific demographic groups from the Lyssna panel, Bower Collective made their research process more efficient and cost-effective.

Preference testing

STAYERY's preference testing for cost-effective decisions

STAYERY, a serviced apartments company, used preference testing in Lyssna to make smart, informed decisions about their business. 

“If we put a $30 million property there, we better do user testing to know what people actually need. Anything else would be foolish," shared Eveline Mockzo, Head of Product at Stayery.

By understanding guest preferences before committing to expensive solutions, they potentially saved millions. "Before you replicate a customer journey, you want to get it right," Eveline emphasizes. "Fixing it afterward gets expensive." 

The feedback they gathered through testing in Lyssna helped STAYERY decide on everything from the best images to use on online travel agency sites to which electronic locks to install in its properties.

“We're doing these really quick tests, almost all the time. And for that, Lyssna is unbeatable. Other tools don't even have that option.”

This agile, data-driven approach allowed STAYERY to confidently scale operations across Europe, all while maintaining top-notch customer experience and avoiding costly mistakes.

Ooma's fast design testing

Ooma, a telecommunications company, uses Lyssna to quickly gather objective feedback to validate design decisions. 

Working in two-week design sprints, their team uses Lyssna for prototype and preference testing to evaluate platform intuitiveness and resolve internal debates. 

“We're not looking for subjective opinions or thought processes. What I want is, when people see an interface, what is their gut reaction to how to solve a navigation problem?", shared Kevin Dyck, Manager of UX and Product Design at Ooma 

By recruiting from the Lyssna panel, Ooma can gather the precise user feedback that’s essential for refining UI elements like color schemes and navigation. 

According to Kevin, “From the time that we get the [internal] request to formulating a proper test, recruiting, and running the test, the turnaround time using Lyssna is really, really quick. That's the biggest benefit to me."

Five second testing

Busuu’s campaign validation testing

Busuu, a leading language learning platform, uses Lyssna to validate creative concepts and key messaging through preference testing and five second tests. This helps their creative team quickly understand how users respond to ads and messaging, especially for out-of-home (OOH) campaigns. 

“We were looking to get quick answers to questions on creative concepts and messaging," shared Tina Vifor, Head of Creative Communication at Busuu. "Mainly, we wanted to understand preference and the reasons behind them, to shape the evolution of campaigns."

By recruiting from the panel, Busuu could test with target audiences that closely match their real users, ensuring relevant feedback. 

“We have established a clear, data-backed narrative behind creative choices before we start creating assets,” said Tina. “As a result, there is far less (if any) pushback from decision makers, and we have built more trust in our methodology.”

Philips Lighting’s five second testing for home page clarity

Philips Lighting used a five second test on one of its microsite home pages to see if users could quickly grasp its purpose at a glance. 

“We ran a five-second test on the home page of one of our microsites and the results showed us that a large percentage of people did not correctly understand what the website was about,” shared Rick van Den Ven, Digital Marketing Analyst at Phillips Lighting. “These insights allowed us to make some quick changes to the site to improve this. We have learned that the user insights from these tests are also a powerful tool to convince stakeholders about an issue.”

From testing to results: How usability testing shapes better products

Usability testing is a critical step in making sure your product meets user needs, and the examples we've shared here highlight how important quick, actionable feedback can be. 

From first click testing to five second testing, these methods allow you to make data-driven design decisions that improve engagement and satisfaction. By testing early and often, you can create intuitive, user-friendly experiences that resonate with your audience and drive results.