For founders · Concept testing
Concept testing in minutes, not weeks
Two product ideas can both sound good in a meeting. Concept testing puts them in front of a small UK pool. Members say which they would try and give their reasons. We aim for first answers within about 15 minutes in UK daytime; replies can be slower for now.
We review requests by hand.
Questions for product concept testing
Show concepts at a similar level of detail. A polished design beside a rough sketch tests the presentation as much as the idea.
- Example: Which TableTale meal idea would you try: a weekly recipe subscription or a menu you choose yourself?
- What problem do you think this idea solves?
- How likely would you be to try it, from 1 to 5?
The current product concept testing format handles one question at a time. Upload one side-by-side image if the concepts need visuals.
What the concept test returns
Illustrative TableTale example: 14 of 20 pick the choose-your-own menu and six pick the fixed weekly plan. The example reasons value flexibility; some worry a set plan will not suit their week. Explore the flexible version, then ask what people would give up to get that choice. A preference in a small test does not show what people will buy.
How to run a concept testing tool
- Write a neutral description for each concept and keep the images equally finished.
- Choose a pick-one, rating or first-impression question and a pool of 5 to 50 UK adults. People answer blind, without your identity or other votes.
- Read the count, every short reason and the summary. Use the objections to plan your next test.
See other ways to ask a focused question about a product, price or name.
Where a concept testing platform stops
The team behind a concept fills in missing details automatically. An outsider cannot. If somebody thinks TableTale is a grocery-delivery service rather than a planning tool, that misunderstanding is worth hearing before more design work. Each answer has a signed receipt recording the checks it passed. See the trust and safety approach.
Honest limit: Saying ‘I would try it’ is easier than paying for it. The pool is mixed UK adults without targeting, and one question cannot measure market size or explain every objection. For a substantial product bet, follow this quick steer with interviews, pricing work and observed behaviour.
What a quick test costs
Asking is free during early access. At paid launch, quick takes start from 30p an answer plus 50p a question (launch example). Twenty quick takes would be about £6.50, with the quote shown before you ask.
Your questions, answered
What is concept testing?
It is a way to show an idea to people outside the team and learn what they understand, prefer or question. A quick concept check can help choose a direction before a full prototype exists. It does not by itself establish demand or prove that people will pay.
How do you test a product concept quickly?
Put two comparable concept cards in one image, describe each with the same amount of detail and ask one question. Read the reasons behind the choice, especially where a person misunderstood the offer. For a bigger decision, take those objections into interviews or a real-world trial.
How many concepts can I compare?
You can offer two or three options in a current pick-one quick take. More concepts can dilute a small pool and make the reasons harder to interpret. If you have a long list, narrow it first, then show the shortlist in the same format and at the same level of finish.
What is the difference between concept testing and idea validation?
Concept testing often compares particular ways to present or deliver an idea. Idea validation asks whether the problem and proposed solution deserve more work. Both can start with reactions from a small mixed group, but neither is complete without evidence from the people likely to buy or use the product.
Can I ask follow-up questions to the same people?
Not yet. Current quick takes hold one question, and follow-ups are planned for later. If a reason raises a new issue, write another focused question for a fresh pool. When you need a conversation with the same participants, arrange interviews through a suitable research service.
How much does a concept testing tool cost here?
Asking is free during early access. At paid launch, quick takes start from 30p an answer plus 50p a question (launch example), so 20 answers would be about £6.50. The quote before posting shows the actual price. That covers one focused comparison, not interviews or a multi-question research project.
Find out what people really think.
Free during early access. No card needed.
Free during early access. We review requests by hand. Have an invite code? Join