Ready-mock

What should you test before building a service?

Choose a user, a task, and the feedback to observe before deciding what to build.

Choose one user and one question to answer

Write who needs to do what, and in which situation. Choose a reviewer and the decision their feedback should support before preparing screens or a prototype.

Choose a test for the question you need to answer

  • People say it sounds useful, but the use case is vague

    First action
    Ask a potential user how they last completed the task and what was difficult
    What to check
    You can describe a real user, situation, and problem

  • The feature list grows without a clear first release

    First action
    Choose one user and one complete interaction
    What to check
    The first test is separate from later features

  • You cannot judge whether the screens work well

    First action
    Ask someone to complete a task and note where they stop or ask questions
    What to check
    You know what to change and what to test next

Example: test a handoff in VisaFlow

An applicant submits, an administrator reviews, and a company approves. The question is whether each role understands what to do next.

VisaFlow entry screen for applicant, administrator, and company portals
An interactive visa application mock. It does not accept real applications or provide legal decisions.

Actions to request

  • An applicant creates a sample application
  • An administrator reviews the content
  • A company reviewer checks and approves it

What to observe

  • Where the reviewer stops to find the next action
  • Fields whose meaning needs explaining
  • Whether the handoff to the next role is clear

An example request for the reviewer

Please pass this sample application to the next person. If you get stuck, tell us where you became unsure.
Try the VisaFlow role-based mock

Choose the smallest format that answers your question

  1. Sketches and explanatory material

    You need to know whether the use case and information make sense

    Try first: Show a screen and ask the reviewer to explain what they think it does

  2. Interactive prototype

    You need to know whether someone can complete one task across screens

    Try first: Request one task and note hesitation and completion

  3. Small live service (MVP)

    You need to test real value and sustainable operation

    Try first: Provide appropriate authentication, storage, and security; review usage and support needs

Ask one person to try one task today

  1. Write down the first user and one task
  2. Ask about their current method and choose what the prototype changes
  3. Let them try it and record hesitation and feedback

If people hesitate, revise the screen or wording and test again. Evaluate value in real use after the required security and operations are ready.

If you still need help choosing

Use the assessment or an initial consultation if tool choice or scope is still unclear after trying these steps.

Start the three-minute prototype assessment

The assessment and initial consultation are free. Any free prototype scope is agreed during consultation; substantial prototypes and full development are quoted before work starts.

Explore the details

Test a new service before building itChoose a prototype, an MVP, or full developmentUse a prototype before the estimateFocus the first release

Prepared by TechGuide LLC, the team behind Ready-mock and its public workflow mocks. About the team