Mastering Maze: Optimize your usability tests for maximum insights
Maze has become one of my go-to tools for gathering user insights, testing ideas, and validating prototypes asynchronously. To help you make the most of your Maze usability tests, here are some proven strategies to enhance test effectiveness while keeping the experience engaging for users.
Define Clear Learning Goals
Starting usability tests can feel overwhelming, especially when evaluating a full experience rather than a small functionality. Before jumping into Maze, take time to outline:
Your key assumptions behind the solution being tested.
Primary learning goals — what do you hope to validate?
Expected user behavior — how should users interact with the test?
Knowledge gaps — what critical insights do you lack?
The depth of insights needed — do you need follow-up questions for deeper understanding?
Remember, when users commit to your test, they’re dedicating focused time. Be mindful of their experience by structuring your test efficiently. Keep it as concise as possible—ideally between 3–6 minutes—to minimize dropouts.
Pro Tips:
✔ Check existing analytics to answer some of your questions without needing additional user input.
✔ Reduce and refine questions — combine similar ones for brevity.
✔ Be transparent — inform users upfront about test duration to manage expectations.
Set Up the Test with Clear Context
User failure in a usability test doesn’t always mean the solution is flawed — sometimes, the instructions lack clarity. Ensure users understand the test’s purpose by:
Assessing familiarity with the product — directly ask about their experience and provide screenshots if needed.
Using conditional logic — deliver more guidance to users unfamiliar with the product without overloading experienced participants.
Implementing scenario-based tasks to immerse users in a realistic context.
Example of a Scenario-Based Task:
📝 “Imagine you’re using [Product Name] to [goal]. You land on this screen and need to [specific action].”
✔ Example: “You’re visiting LearningNewSkills.com to find a course recommended by a colleague. You land on this screen—how would you search for that course?”
What did you like about the flow you just completed?
What do you think could be improved? Why?
Leverage AI-Powered Features in Maze
Maze now offers AI-driven enhancements to streamline usability testing and improve insights generation. Some of the latest features include:
Automated Report Summaries: AI-generated summaries highlight key takeaways, saving time on manual analysis.
Smart Test Optimization: AI suggests test modifications to improve user engagement and ensure more accurate results.
Predictive User Insights: AI-powered analytics help identify patterns and trends based on user behavior.
Automated Question Refinement: Maze AI can refine test questions to eliminate ambiguity and enhance clarity.
By utilizing these AI-driven tools, you can make data-driven decisions faster and optimize your usability tests for better outcomes.
Always Ask Follow-Up Questions
Observing how users navigate your test reveals usability challenges, but it doesn’t explain why they struggled (or succeeded). To uncover deeper insights, follow up with:
How difficult was it to complete this flow?
What did you dislike about the experience?
What could be improved? How?
These questions provide invaluable qualitative data for refining your design.
Eliminate Order Bias for Higher-Quality Insights
If using single-select or multi-select questions, enable the shuffle toggle. This randomizes answer choices for each user, preventing order bias from skewing results.
Learn more about order bias here.
Encourage Users to Share In-Depth Insights
Predefined answers can help structure responses, but always provide users with the opportunity to share freeform thoughts. Two ways to achieve this:
✔ Include an ‘Other’ option in single/multi-select questions for custom answers.
✔ Use open-ended questions to gather richer qualitative insights.
Conclusion
When used strategically, Maze usability tests can deliver insights as powerful as in-person testing with the added benefit of reaching a wider audience. By defining clear learning goals, refining test structure, and leveraging AI-powered features, you can make your usability tests both efficient and insightful.
Happy testing! 🚀