Built a prototype in Lovable and wondering if users actually need what you've created? Don't spend weeks building the wrong features. In this video, we show you exactly how to validate your Lovable prototype with real users using a simple three-step testing approach.
We cover:
Why validating your prototype early saves development time.
Three essential tests to run: first click testing, card sorting, and live website testing.
How to recruit the right participants for your research.
What to look for in your results and how to prioritize features.
Real example: Testing a collectable card trading marketplace prototype with 15 users.
Using Lyssna's free testing template, you can get validation insights in just a couple of hours. Whether you're building with Lovable, Figma, Replit, or any other prototyping tool, this process helps you discover what users actually want before you invest time building features they don't need.
Ready to validate your prototype? Watch the video to see the complete process in action.
Chapters:
0:00 - Introduction: Why prototype validation matters
1:11 - Three-step validation approach overview
2:01 - First click testing results and insights
2:53 - Card sorting: What features users prioritize
4:01 - Live website testing findings
5:30 - How validation changed development priorities
6:23 - Wrap-up and next steps
Transcript
So you just build a prototype using Lovable in under an hour. It looks polished, it works, and you're ready to start building features. But here's the question that could save you weeks of development time. Do users actually need what you've built? Here's an example. This is CardVault, a collectible card marketplace where users can buy, sell, and trade cards.
The key feature I wanted to test was peer-to-peer trading between collectors. So I created this basic working prototype in Lovable where users could browse cards, view details, and initiate trades with other collectors.
When you can prototype this quickly, the key is validating that you're building something users will genuinely find valuable. Testing your prototype with real people helps you discover three critical things. Can they actually use it? Do they want it, and does it solve problems they care about? I'm Diane, and in this video I'm going to show you exactly how I tested this prototype in Lyssna with 15 participants in a couple of hours, plus what I discovered, and how I would use it to shape my development priorities.
So we recommend a simple three step approach to validate your Lovable prototype, beginning with a first click test to see if users understand your core functionality. Following this up with a card sorting exercise to learn what features users prioritize the most. And finally running a live website test where you can watch users complete real tasks.
I built out my test using our free testing template, which has all the questions pre-written, and you can just customize the instructions and placeholder text with your specific info. I recruited 15 users through the Lyssna research panel and had my results within a couple of hours. Because I specifically wanted to test with card collectors, I also added a screener survey to my test to make sure I was talking to the right people.
So let me show you what I found out.
In the first click test, I asked users where they'd click to start a trade. Most users found the trade button, but when I read their responses to the follow up questions, I started to see a pattern.
I asked three questions. What they expected after clicking, what they think the platform is for, and how it's different from other ways they usually buy cards.
Using Lyssna's AI summary feature, I could quickly see some main themes emerging, like that users expect language like "make offer" instead of "trade." They clearly understood that this was a card marketplace, so my value proposition is working. But only around 30% of participants mentioned trading as different from their usual buying habits, which tells me that I may need to educate users about why trading is valuable in the first place, not just assume it's something that they want to do.
Moving on to our card sort, and this is where things got interesting. I asked users to sort a bunch of features into three categories. Must have, nice to have, and don't need. I had assumed that users would prioritize fun things like multi-card trading, since it seems like an obvious feature.
But when I looked at the results here in the agreement matrix, I can see at a glance that security features are considered must-haves by the majority of users. So things like trade protection, dispute resolution, and secure payment processing.
And that's followed by high resolution photos and card condition grading.
These priorities were reflected in the responses to the follow-up questions too. I asked what was most important to users when choosing a card trading platform, and also what makes them trust a brand new platform. The common themes were security, trust verification, and social proof.
This really helps me plan my product roadmap. Instead of building multi-card trading features first, I now know that I should prioritize trust and verification systems. And finally, for the live website test, I gave users the link to my Lovable prototype and a specific task to complete a trade. I was able to watch the recordings to see exactly how users interacted with my prototype and hear their thoughts.
All of the participants completed the task and found it moderately easy, with a rating of 3.9 out of 5 on average, but the time it took them did really vary, and when I watched the recordings back, I spotted a few obvious usability issues to fix. I also asked a couple of follow-up questions to help me understand whether users would actually feel confident using the platform with their valuable cards.
Around 80% of participants said they would recommend the platform. This validates that there's strong product market fit potential.
The responses confirm positioning around ease of use and a straightforward trading process. But the caveat about wanting reviews and established reputation tells me that early adoption will require extra trust-building measures. We're not dealing with a concept problem here, but a credibility gap that comes with being new. Finally, for the trade decision question, this helps me understand that users need things like market values, price, history, and condition ratings before they feel confident making a trade. Again, these responses directly inform what features I need to build to move users from "I can use this" to, "I trust this."
So there you go. In just a few hours, my priorities have shifted. I know the initial concept lands with card collectors, but instead of building flashy features first, I now know that users want the basics: trust, security, and verification.
This process isn't just about fixing bugs. It's about building what users actually value. I could have spent weeks building complex trading flows when users primarily want better market transparency and trust signals. The key takeaway here is that your Lovable prototype gets you most of the way there, but those final validation insights can completely change your development direction and save you a lot of time building the wrong things.
And even if users don't connect with your concept, that's incredibly valuable feedback to get early when you can pivot quickly rather than after months of development.
I've included links in the description to the template that you can use to test your prototype in Lyssna as well as the results from this study if you want to dig deeper.
If this was helpful, hit the like button and subscribe for more content on building products people love. And if you have any questions or want to see us test something else, just drop us a comment below. We would love to hear from you. Thanks, and I'll see you next time.
