What are the benefits of drawing from a pool of participants around the globe?
It can be all too easy to get stuck in the day-to-day of developing or running your project. Having access to an almost unlimited pool of test subjects for the trialing of your user experience can bring with it not just proof of concept but sometimes also unexpected outcomes as fresh perspectives are brought in to test your model. This can bring surprising business benefits, allowing you to create efficiencies in your workflow, as well as tightening up the actual customer journey.
This can sometimes feel a little challenging when your product means so much to you, but it is definitely worth embracing refreshing viewpoints and constructive criticism. Having your business backed up by a network of international research participants gives you access to a huge range of different experiences, expectations and needs. As Alejandro Adem, a mathematician at the University of British Columbia and chief executive officer of the non-profit research organization Mitacs says, “Ideas transcend borders, no country controls the marketplace of ideas.”[1] We can grow our business by looking through the eyes of another.
As well as bringing new perspectives, a global user testing approach can also impact the practical deployment of your product or service. Understanding how users approach your particular model in different parts of the world can really open your eyes to how issues of infrastructure and access can impact how your product is consumed in other countries. Any good user experience test must start and finish with the needs of the end-user, whoever and wherever they are.
Why do people become participants in research studies?
As well as being financially compensated for their time, research participants in studies of all kinds have recorded that they enjoy understanding more about the area of study that is being tested. They also report that they offer themselves up for research studies because they want to be a part of the process of testing and development, to help technology, science, medicine, or whatever is being studied, help to move forward.
At CubeGO, participants in research studies often get the opportunity to try out a new website, game, or experience before anyone else. They may get to road test a digital service, or respond to a brand new advertisement before it goes live. A lot of people enjoy being privy to this sort of exclusive access, even if it will be a while before they can buy the full version of an app or see the finished advertisement on their own TV, for example.
Cultural Sensitivities
While we all do our best to be sensitive to the thoughts and feelings of other people, it is not always possible to anticipate everything that might cause offense or upset. If you want your product to go global, it is important to develop an understanding of local cultural nuance that might affect how your brand is received in a different country.
Modern Retail has put out a great article on why it’s so important for global brands to accommodate cultural sensitivities to be successful. They give some brilliant examples of best practice as well as a few facepalm moments, like BMW improperly using the UAE national anthem in one of their adverts.
Designing a short user study that targets the countries that you want to expand into is a great way to see whether those individuals have a positive or negative emotional reaction towards your outputs and then drill down into exactly which aspects of your UX need tightening up to make the customer journey a pleasant one, regardless of where your potential client lives.
Transcending timezones and borders
It’s not all issues and exclusions though! Working with a panel of international test subjects is also wonderfully liberating. Many businesses work outside of the traditional office environment and no longer keep traditional office hours. We are a global, 24/7, connected society and CubeGO’s user testing methodology truly embraces this. Get immediate results whenever you need them by accessing a global network of diverse test subjects.
The best part is that CubeGO’s model is accessible to all. Working as a part of the global village is no longer reserved for the biggest brands. There are fantastic SaaS options out there to help your business really soar when it comes to international expansion both digitally and physically. Check-in with CubeGO to find out how we can support your business goals.
What is CubeGO and how can it help?
CubeGO is a remote software focused on user testing that democratizes access to technologies like facial emotion recognition and eye movement tracking. This allows your business to have unprecedented access to incredible insights into the behavior of your customers and potential customers. But one of our real strengths is our ability to offer you a bank of possible test subjects to choose from when you design your study. We can offer truly borderless testing of anyone, anywhere. [1] https://www.universityaffairs.ca/features/feature-article/the-benefits-and-challenges-of-international-research-collaboration/ accessed on 03/10/21