Fake Door Testing
(Definition & Key Benefits)

Fake door testing can offer the following benefits:

• Streamline your product development process.
• Increase your understanding of user behavior.
• Validate demand for a new feature or product.
• Guide product strategy based on user interest.

Let's take a closer look at what fake door testing is and why it matters.

What Is Fake Door Testing?

Fake door testing is a popular method that product developers and marketers use to gauge user interest in a new product or feature before it's fully developed. This approach involves presenting the new feature as if it already exists and tracking how many users attempt to engage with it.

Imagine walking up to a door, only to find that it's painted on. That's the essence of fake door testing. The test gives users the illusion of a new feature or product. However, when users begin to interact with the product, they are informed that the feature is not yet available.

This test can provide valuable insights into whether the feature or product is worth investing in. After all, development teams do not want to pour their time and resources into building fully functional features that users do not need.

When Should You Perform A Fake Door Test?

Fake door testing is ideal in the early stages of product development when teams are brainstorming new features or products. These tests can help validate hypotheses about user behavior and preferences. As we mentioned, this can save time and resources that might be wasted on features that users are simply not interested in or cannot extract any value from.

Running a fake door test is especially beneficial for those preparing to launch a significant new feature. You can use this approach to periodically test the market with new features. This enables teams to stay innovative and responsive to the ever-evolving needs of users.

Running A Fake Door Test (Key Considerations)

When it comes to running a successful fake door test, you should consider the following:

Ethics & Transparency

It's critical to lead with transparency in your communication with users. Once users click on the fake door, inform them that the feature is under consideration and thank them for their interest. You could also offer to notify them when the feature eventually becomes available for use.

Realistic Presentation

The fake door should mimic the real feature as closely as possible. The more realistic the representation, the more accurate the results.

Metrics

Before running a fake door test, you should decide what metrics will define success. Typically, the number of clicks or interactions the fake door receives is a pivotal metric that helps teams decide whether or not a feature is worth developing further.

Placement

It's important not to overlook the placement of a fake door. You should place a fake door where users will most likely engage with the feature. If it's not seen, it ultimately cannot get clicked on.

Analyzing Fake Door Test Results

Once you have collected data from user interactions with your fake door, it's time to analyze the results. While the raw number of interactions is a useful metric, you should also consider the proportion of total users who interacted with the fake door. If you only managed to get a small percentage of users to show interest, it is potentially not worth pursuing the feature.

Fake Door Testing (Closing Thoughts)

Fake door testing is often a great way to validate user interest before investing significant resources into feature or product development. With careful planning, realistic presentation, and thorough analysis of interactions, fake door tests can help steer product development in the right direction and enable you to better meet user needs.