Test participant

A test participant is someone recruited to use a product or prototype during a usability test, while researchers observe. They should represent the product’s actual target users as closely as possible.
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Recruiting the right participants — and enough of them — matters more than large numbers: studies show that as few as five well-chosen participants can reveal the majority of usability problems.

Why does it matter?

The insights from a test are only as relevant as the people who took part. Testing with unrepresentative participants, such as colleagues or friends, produces misleading confidence.
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Treating participants ethically — informed consent, no pressure and fair incentives — is both a moral duty and a way to get more honest, useful feedback.

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