Playtesting & User Research Services
Below are a few common scenarios where I can help. I’m also open to working on other types of projects as well!
All projects are customized to the game, the client, their needs, and their budget. I’m happy to meet in a free Discovery call to discuss your needs and put together a proposal with some options. Contact me below if interested.
Have a vertical slice or demo you want to show at an upcoming event?
Make an even better first impression by formally playtesting it beforehand!
With your input, I’ll organize and run a First-Time User Experience playtest with fresh players who meet your game’s target player profile, which we’ll collaborate on together.
Making major changes, like new controls, mechanics, or levels?
Ensure you have a sturdy foundation by running 1 or more usability tests on your prototype.
Players don’t always do or think the same way the dev team does. Running a Usability Test with target players before finalizing changes can help uncover unintended friction points that otherwise leave players frustrated, confused, or even stuck.
Have you tested with friends, colleagues, or fans, but haven’t tested with external players yet?
Make sure you’re not missing important data and feedback by testing with your target players.
Testing with friends, colleagues, or fans from your community can definitely provide useful guidance. However, those people often differ in important ways from your target player, meaning they may not do or say the same things as your actual players will.
Interested in seeing an example report?
As an independent project, I designed and ran a playtest with 5 players on the Chants of Sennaar demo. I’m currently in the final stages of synthesizing the data into a report.
If you’re interested, please check out the preview of my report-in-progress below!
Download the Playtest Report-in-progress >>
Please contact me if you’re interested in working together.
I’ll set up a free meeting for us where you can tell me more about your game and what you’d like to learn from a playtest or user research study. If it seems like I can help, I’ll put together a proposal with options for your review before we proceed.
Looking forward to hearing from you!
info@caitlinbarta.com
San Francisco, CA