How to Get Useful Feedback Before Launching an App

Pick one task a new user can finish

Write down what someone should be able to do on their first visit. Give them a situation and a goal, then let them choose where to click. If your prompt uses the exact wording on a button, it may give away the route you want to test.

For Walletwait, we’d use this hypothetical example. Your wired headphones still work, but you’re considering a $60 wireless pair for commuting. How would you ask friends whether the upgrade is worth it?

A tester can write down the item, price, reason and an alternative, such as keeping the wired pair for another month. Then they can choose a group for friends or the public plaza for wider input. Use a group with consenting testers if you need to test sending the request. The Walletwait feature guide explains both paths, and the public plaza shows what a published discussion looks like.

Ask what happened during the test

Recruit people who have had the problem your app addresses. For Walletwait, that might mean someone who has recently messaged a friend to ask whether a purchase was worth it. Watch the first attempt without offering directions. Note what they tried and where they paused.

• What did you expect to happen when you clicked that button?
• Who did you think would be able to see the discussion?
• What did you do the last time you had this buying decision?

Write down the action next to the comment. “I wasn’t sure who would see it” is easier to work with when you know whether the person stopped at the audience selector, after sign-in, or just before posting.

Share the app with a specific request

Once people can finish the first task, try sharing the app with a wider audience. Startup directories such as LaunchIt give founders a place to show a product to other makers. Include one screenshot of the task and one question a visitor can answer after trying it.

For a purchase discussion tool, a question such as “Can you tell who will see your plan before you post it?” can surface confusing labels. Then ask shoppers when they’d actually use a group or the public plaza. The answers tell you about two different things: how clear the interface is and where the product fits into someone’s life.

Fix the obstacle and retest

If people pause at the audience choice, try naming who can see each option. Give the same headphones task to someone new and see if they can pick the right audience and explain their choice. That gives you a concrete check to run before inviting more people.

Want to try the task yourself? Read our guide on asking for a second opinion before buying, or tell the Walletwait team where the flow could be clearer.

Use one row per participant: task attempted, step reached, where they paused, what they expected, and whether they finished without a hint. After changing the wording, compare the same step in the next test. This keeps a stalled task separate from a general preference like “make the button bigger.”