Most product teams test their mobile experience the same way they test everything else — on a desktop, with a strong Wi-Fi connection, in a quiet room. The problem is that a huge amount of what makes mobile different — context, environment, native device behavior — gets lost the moment you swap a phone for a browser window.
In this live UX research workshop, join Joe Formica as he breaks down how to test and improve a mobile experience, and how to get more reliable, actionable feedback out of every mobile usability study you run. Using real examples — including a farm app that fell apart in the field and a simple flashlight app comparison — Joe walks through why some experiences can only be understood on a real device, and what to do about it.
You'll learn:
The key differences between mobile and desktop experiences, and why context matters more than screen size
When testing a mobile prototype on desktop is good enough, and when it will cost you valuable insights
How to ramp up the fidelity of your prototypes, so participants give real feedback instead of "make believe" answers
How to write tasks and scenarios that reflect real mobile behavior, not just step-by-step navigation instructions
Creative, low-effort ways to simulate real-world constraints, like one-handed use, glare, or being on the move
The most common mistakes teams make when testing mobile experiences, and how to avoid them
Chapters:
00:00 - Welcome & icebreaker
02:41 - Workshop overview
06:11 - Design critique: the Amber Waves Farm app
10:42 - Mobile vs desktop: the key differences
15:27 - Testing mobile prototypes on desktop
17:54 - Why some experiences can only be tested on mobile
21:26 - Three steps to better mobile testing
23:20 - Step 1: Ramp up the fidelity
35:40 - Step 2: Design tasks for mobile behavior
43:33 - Step 3: Get out of the lab
51:21 - Q&A
55:26 - Introducing mobile testing in Lyssna
59:26 - Key takeaways and wrap-up
Resources:
About our host
Joe Formica leads workshops and creates educational content at Lyssna, bringing over 10 years of experience in UX and education. His practical, hands-on teaching approach has helped thousands of designers develop their skills and create better products.
