Home-Use Tests (HUTs): what are 5 Do’s en Don’ts?

Home-Use Tests (HUTs) serve as a method for consumer researchers to gather feedback from consumers on food or non-food products in real-life settings. HUTs prove highly beneficial for testing existing products or those nearing the end of the product development process within consumers’ homes. We have distinguished 5 Do’s and Don’ts for conducting HUTs:

𝘋𝘰’𝘴:

– Select a representative sample to ensure that the feedback you receive is relevant and actionable;
– Provide celar instructions on how to use the product and what feedback you are looking for;
– Encourage natural behaviour of participants while using the products to yield optimal data;
– Include a feedback mechanism enabling consumers to provide feedback easily;
– Iterate and improve the product design, features, etc. continuously by using feedback from consumers.

𝘋𝘰𝘯’𝘵𝘴:

– Assume all participants are experts or experienced with the product. Provide sufficient information and guidance;
– Bias participants’ feedback by asking leading questions or influencing responses. Ask neutral and open-ended questions;
– Overwhelm participants with tasks causing them to feel burdened. Keep the test simple and focused;
– Rush the recruitment process by solely selecting participants based on convenience. Take the time to recruit a correct and representative sample;
– Disregard negative feedback; it can be just as valuable as positive feedback for product improvement.

Curious how we can perform HUTs for your products?

You can contact us via essensor@essensor.nl or via +31 (0)318 45 22 22