Client: Project:Date:

Usability Testing Recruitment brief

Usability Testing, User Research and User Centred Design

What is a User Recruitment Brief?

The purpose of user research recruitment brief is to ensure you speak to the right people in the user testing phase. Look back at your ‘user description’ output, especially the market segmentation section.

Who’s involved?

Ensure the client/internal team has signed off on the user groups for testing prior to sending out the recruitment brief to the recruiter.

Why us this brief?

To ensure the right people representing the user types discussed in the user description phase come in for testing.

How?

Having confirmed the test dates and testing facility, you can start filling in the details of the user recruitment brief. Most recruiters will create their own script based on the criteria in your brief. Make sure you check these before starting the recruitment.

The brief provides a high level overview of the recruitment criteria covering:

Demographics

Type of respondents i.e. pre/post shoppers, existing or prospective customers

Behavioural criteria such as internet and buying behaviour

Optional: matrix of sample

An invitation stating agreed date and time should be provided to respondents along with a map and details of venue.

Contact an external recruiter or use internal resource to recruit respondents for the user testing phase.

Client: Project:Date:

Usability Testing Recruitment Brief Template: Client NameResearch dates:

Sessions: xx sessions (x per day)

Timings: For example 9-5 (9:00, 10:15, 11:30, 1:30, 2:45, 4:00)

Duration: xx minutes

Incentive: $x per person

Venue:

Recruitment sample (where relevant):

Age

o xx years old and upwards or certain groupings

o Aim for an even spread of ages

Gender:

o x males and x females

o Aim for an even spread of male vs. female

Income: Earn between/above/under xx k a year

Family situation i.e. single, family etc.

Other criteria examples:

o X respondents/All must have purchased a product in the last 6 months

o X respondents/All or all must be looking to/interested in purchasing x product in the next 3-6 months

o Consider ratio of existing product/site users vs. non-users

Sometimes a table makes it easier to ensure all the criteria are covered:

Recruitment criteria Male Female [Criteria 1] [Criteria 2] [Criteria 3] TOTAL

Under 1818 - 2525 – 5050+TOTAL

High level recruitment criteria:

Exclude groups i.e. students

All to have purchased any product online in the past

All to consider researching and applying online for a [product]

All to be non-rejecters of [CLIENT] brand

All to be joint or sole financial decision makers

Online savvy i.e. regular internet users (other than email)

Must be able to navigate the internet comfortably on their own