SUMMARY
Purpose: Pilot testing is a qualitative evaluation that validates whether your usability study works before running it at full scale.
Design Thinking Phase: Test
Time: 45–60 min session + 1–2 hours analysis
Difficulty: ⭐⭐
When to use:Before launching formal usability testing with real usersWhen testing custom research tasks or interview scriptsTo identify potential confusion in your test scenarios
What it is
Pilot testing is a form of dry-run usability testing in which one or two "friendly users" (often internal or recruited proxies) go through your research or usability scenario to uncover issues in structure, clarity, or flow before a larger study. It's part of best-practice UX research setups, acting as a quality check before external participants are involved.
📺 Video by NNgroup. Embedded for educational reference.
Why it matters
Pilot testing helps you catch logistical issues and content breakdowns early — when it's cheap to fix them. It validates your session guide, makes sure your prototype flows correctly, and can often surface participant confusion you hadn’t anticipated. A good pilot can save your entire study from data quality problems.
When to use
- Before usability testing a high-stakes prototype
- When experimenting with new test formats (e.g., remote moderated)
- To practice moderating and refine how questions are asked
Benefits
- Rich Insights: Helps uncover user needs that aren’t visible in metrics.
- Flexibility: Works across various project types and timelines.
- User Empathy: Deepens understanding of behaviours and motivations.
How to use it
- Recruit 1–2 internal users or teammates unfamiliar with the script
- Run your session exactly as you plan to run the real test
- Observe not just the participant but also the facilitator’s ability to guide
- Note any moments of confusion, friction, or misinterpretation
- Revise task wording, flow, and instructions accordingly
- Optionally pilot your note-taking or scoring approach for consistency
Example Output
After running a pilot usability session on a digital account setup tool, the team identified three main changes:
- Task prompt 2 was too vague; users misunderstood the action required.
- Link to the second screen in the prototype was broken — caused unnecessary troubleshooting during the session.
- Moderator needed clearer breaks between tasks — participants got confused when instructions changed.
These issues were resolved before testing began with live B2B participants.
Common Pitfalls
- Skipping it entirely: Many teams rush into testing and end up collecting noisy or unusable data.
- Treating it casually: Running a pilot is only useful if executed exactly like the real session.
- Ignoring internal bias: Pilots with team members can be useful but may gloss over real usability issues — always temper findings accordingly.
10 Design-Ready AI Prompts for Pilot Testing – UX/UI Edition
How These Prompts Work (C.S.I.R. Framework)
Each of the templates below follows the C.S.I.R. method — a proven structure for writing clear, effective prompts that get better results from ChatGPT, Claude, Copilot, or any other LLM.
C.S.I.R. stands for:
- Context: Who you are and the UX situation you're working in
- Specific Info: Key design inputs, tasks, or constraints the AI should consider
- Intent: What you want the AI to help you achieve
- Response Format: The structure or format you want the AI to return (e.g. checklist, table, journey map)
Level up your career with smarter AI prompts.Get templates used by UX leaders — no guesswork, just results.Design faster, research smarter, and ship with confidence.First one’s free. Unlock all 10 by becoming a member.
Prompt Template 1: “Audit My Usability Pilot Plan:”
Audit My Usability Pilot Plan:
Context: You are a Senior UX Researcher preparing for a usability pilot of a redesigned checkout flow.
Specific Info: The draft plan includes 5 tasks, remote-moderated via Zoom, and uses a mid-fidelity prototype.
Intent: Evaluate the script, task wording, and sequencing for clarity and completeness.
Response Format: Provide a checklist of improvements to task wording, flow logic, and moderator prompts.
Ask any clarifying questions before identifying issues.
Then, suggest one way to make the pilot session more realistic or rigorous.
Prompt Template 2: “Convert a Script Outline into Testable Tasks:”
Convert a Script Outline into Testable Tasks:
Context: You are a UX designer preparing a pilot test for a new onboarding wizard in a SaaS dashboard.
Specific Info: You have collected a stakeholder-approved journey map with 3 key actions: user input, confirmation, and settings customisation.
Intent: Translate the journey into observable, testable tasks suitable for pilot testing.
Response Format: Return a list of task prompts with expected success criteria and possible user misinterpretations.
If any part of the user journey is unclear, ask before proceeding.
Suggest one probe question per task to use during moderated interviews.
Prompt Template 3: “Prioritise Pilot Feedback Issues:”
Prioritise Pilot Feedback Issues:
Context: You are a product designer reviewing notes from a pilot usability session for a health app.
Specific Info: Users stumbled on step 3 and misunderstood the purpose of two error states.
Intent: Help prioritise which pilot findings are critical to fix before full study rollout.
Response Format: Use a 2x2 grid (Severity x Frequency) to categorise each issue, with rationale.
Ask clarifying questions if any findings are vague. Suggest one follow-up test to confirm the critical issue.
Prompt Template 4: “Rewrite Test Navigation Instructions Clearly:”
Rewrite Test Navigation Instructions Clearly:
Context: You are preparing your prototype for a mobile test and want to avoid setup confusion during your pilot session.
Specific Info: The prototype uses InVision links and includes multiple back-and-forth flows.
Intent: Clarify navigation instructions for the moderator and participants.
Response Format: Return plain-language onboarding text and moderator notes.
Ask what fidelity or device type is being tested if unclear.
Include one fallback suggestion if participants get stuck navigating.
Prompt Template 5: “Check for Moderator Bias in My Script:”
Check for Moderator Bias in My Script:
Context: You are conducting a pilot run-through of a usability research script for an insurance claims dashboard.
Specific Info: You wrote 5 scenario-based prompts and included follow-up questions.
Intent: Find and eliminate any leading language or suggestive tone.
Response Format: Annotate each script section with feedback and offer improved alternatives.
Highlight anything that might steer the user subconsciously.
Suggest one technique to neutralise moderator influence.
Prompt Template 6: “Simulate a Pilot Interview Debrief:”
Simulate a Pilot Interview Debrief:
Context: You’ve just finished a 45-min pilot usability session and want to reflect on learnings.
Specific Info: The test covered a prototype redesign of a digital form.
Intent: Identify what went well, what confused the participant, and what needs changing for the official test.
Response Format: Summarise using Start/Stop/Continue feedback format.
Ask for clarification where participant behaviour was inconsistent.
Suggest one blind spot the team might have missed.
Prompt Template 7: “Red Flag Detector for Prototype Bugs Before Testing:”
Red Flag Detector for Prototype Bugs Before Testing:
Context: Your Figma prototype includes 8 screens and 3 interactive flows for a pilot usability test.
Specific Info: Known issues are minimal, but some hotspots and links may be miswired.
Intent: Pre-detect common prototyping failures that could affect feedback quality.
Response Format: Return a checklist of common prototype issues to verify.
Ask which prototyping tool is used if not mentioned.
Recommend one failsafe for if a path breaks mid-session.
Prompt Template 8: “Make My Tasks Realistic, Not Hypothetical:”
Make My Tasks Realistic, Not Hypothetical:
Context: You’re scripting pilot usability tasks for a new banking dashboard UI.
Specific Info: Current task prompts are short and abstract.
Intent: Rewrite the tasks to feel realistic to users, simulating real-world goals.
Response Format: Return 3 rewritten prompts with added situational context.
Ask about target user personas before finalising.
Suggest one visual or data cue to enhance realism during testing.
Prompt Template 9: “Create a Pilot Testing Summary Template:”
Create a Pilot Testing Summary Template:
Context: You need to document your pilot test for the wider product team pre-launch.
Specific Info: The sessions were internal but revealed three moderate issues across UI flows.
Intent: Provide a clear summary template for pilot findings.
Response Format: Return a document structure with sections for Setup, Findings, Fixes, and Decisions.
Ask if the audience includes non-design stakeholders.
Suggest one visual way to show the recommended changes.
Prompt Template 10: “List What Could Go Wrong in My Pilot Setup:”
List What Could Go Wrong in My Pilot Setup:
Context: You’re finalising a setup for a remote pilot test with moderators in different time zones.
Specific Info: The product is a social media app with real-time features under test.
Intent: Anticipate pitfalls in tech setup, participant behaviour, and prototype access.
Response Format: Provide a risk checklist sorted by category (Tech, People, Flow), with a mitigation tip for each.
Ask what platforms and timeframes are in use.
Offer one checklist format or tool to track fixes.
Recommended Tools
- Figma and InVision – for interactive prototype testing
- Lookback and Maze – to record, share, and analyse pilot usability sessions
- Google Docs – for script collaboration and pilot feedback logging
- ChatGPT or Claude – for script debugging, summarising pilot findings, and prompt generation
