What is it?

Preference testing is when you present a number of design variations to the user and ask which one they would prefer and why. Preference testing is also used in businesses to determine which products and services people prefer.

Purpose of preference testing

The goal of preference testing is to get an understanding of how the users think, feel and perceive with the different options presented in front of them.

Preference testing is not suited for finding which variation would help the user accomplish their goal. Other techniques such as A/B testing or usability testing may be better for that purpose because the user’s behaviour may not align with what they say they prefer.

Types of preference tests

Preference testing is best used to assess aesthetic appeal:

  • colour swatches, palettes, contrasts
  • fonts
  • iconography, images, illustrations
  • layout

You may also use preference testing to get feedback on different terminologies, names or words to describe a service.

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