First Direct have recently launched
First Direct Labs. This is a new section of their site which shows you what new ideas and concepts they are testing for their on-line experience. Current tests being; QR Code functionality, redesign concepts, and mobile apps.Visitors are encouraged to rate these concepts and designs as well as make suggestions of their own for new tests. The missing link here is that this feedback is obviously a channel for qualitative testing of these ideas and for my mind seems to be their only current means of gauging how effective these new ideas will be. Obviously I'm not privy to their whole web testing strategy but I would hope there is more in their testing toolbox than just this focus group approach. Either way First Direct are to be commended for divulging part if not all of their testing strategy, it's a safe thing to do as experience has shown that competitors can rarely benefit from implementing test finding vicariously without first doing their own comprehensive testing. I'll address vicarious testing in greater detail in a later post.
Continuing with my ongoing retrospective theme it's worth pointing out that I haven't been averse to going public with test ideas and designs in the past as seen in
this post from 2009 where I ask the general public to
rate our page designs following a non-conclusive round of MVT testing.
