Class assignments

Preference testing assignment: compare two app screens

Students test two versions of a screen and ask people why they picked one. 45 minutes, free, printable.

Use it in a class

At a glance

For the teacher

Before class.

  • Each pair designs or collects two versions of one app screen. They should differ in one main way, such as layout, wording or the main button.
  • Ask pairs to write down which version they expect to win, and why.

Tools used: Preference test, Five-second test. Create a class, pick this assignment and students get the brief when they join, with a link to start.

Student brief

What students get.

Preference test of two app screens

45 minutes · Pairs · Tool: Preference test

Goal

Practise testing two design options fairly, and learn why the reason people give matters more than the vote.

Steps

  1. Export both screens as images of the same size and open the preference test tool.
  2. Add the two images. Write one neutral question, such as "Which screen makes it clearer how to book?".
  3. Add a follow-up that asks why. Share the link with at least 10 people outside your group.
  4. Close the study. Read the split, then read every reason people gave.
  5. Group the reasons into themes. Check whether people who picked the same screen gave the same reason.
  6. Write a recommendation: which screen to keep, what to borrow from the other, and what you would test next.

What to hand in

  • The results link or a PNG of the results.
  • A half-page recommendation that uses at least three of the reasons people gave.

Questions to discuss

  1. Was your prediction right? What did you expect to learn and what surprised you?
  2. Did the order the screens were shown in change anything? How would you check?
  3. A 7 to 3 split from 10 people is not proof. What would you want to see before acting on it?
  4. What can a preference test never tell you about a design?

myuxacademy.com/tools/for-teachers/assignments/ · free class assignments

Questions

Frequently asked questions

How long does this take?

45 minutes in class, plus some time for responses. It works best pairs.

What do students hand in?

The results link or a PNG of the results. A half-page recommendation that uses at least three of the reasons people gave.

Do students need an account?

Not to take part in a study. To build one and share it, the preference test tool asks for a free email log-in. If you set up a class, students log in to join it so you can see their studies.

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