Testing Beats Arguments: Make Feedback Frequent, Fast, and Actionable

The pattern repeats: teams debate button colors, new menus, and every pixel on a screen. Everyone’s convinced their personal taste matches ‘what users want.’ Steve Krug, working for years as a usability consultant, saw arguments dissolve the moment real users were observed navigating a live prototype. Even the most confident designer or manager went quiet as someone failed a simple task.

He realized you don’t need enormous budgets or big labs. Set aside one morning a month, recruit three people from roughly the right audience, and have them attempt three or four real tasks. The feedback is instant, the learning visceral, and the fixes obvious.

Team members suddenly stop arguing over opinions and focus on reality—fixing the painful friction points users hit over and over. It’s not about proving whose design is better, but about building what actually works. Regular testing shrinks decision cycles and pumps energy into teams that no meeting could deliver.

Mark your calendar for a morning next month and stick to it—even if nothing big is launching. Recruit three people, ideally resembling your actual users, and have each try your product’s core tasks while you watch and listen. Don’t jump in; just take notes. After the session, debrief with your team over snacks or lunch, and agree on which top issues to tackle before the next round. Testing this way builds momentum and kills endless arguments. Give it a try and see what really works.