Solving problems with user testing

What the talk is about

Iryna Osoka explains why game teams need user testing (playtests) and how to run it. She argues that only a small share of games pay off while a large part of budgets goes to rework, so it is wise to hear players early, from prototype to release. The speaker walks through the formats (a hall test in a dedicated room and a multi-day home test) and data collection methods: questionnaires, observation, interviews, thinking aloud and video recording. She also names the limits: don't expect ideas from respondents, keep sessions within two hours, and ask only about what is already in the game. A colleague analyst then presents a rapid report from a demo test of a casual zoo-simulator game, and the Q&A covers sample size, monetization, retention and how respondents are motivated. Useful for game designers, producers and marketers.