RocketMonkeys is a platform that allows for remote usability testing and user research. The platform brings together individuals and companies wishing to test websites and applications, and individuals wishing to carry out tests. Tests can be carried out on demand, and are video based, meaning that the testers screen, webcam, and audio are recorded as they attempt to carry out pre-defined tasks.
Anyone wishing to gain feedback on their digital creations, this can be at any stage of the process, be it early sketches, wireframes, prototypes, pre-releases, or final releases. Seeing real people respond to your creations will provide you invaluable insights into any assumptions made.
Rocket Monkeys are our crowd sourced pool of Testers. We provide an incredibly diverse pool of demographics allowing you to test with experienced or novice users of all cultures, age and income groups.
Currently the interface is offered in English only, though further languages will be offered in the near future. This however does not prevent you from issuing tests for websites in any language you wish.
According to usability guru Jakob Nielsen, 5 tests are plenty. You may want to consider more if you have highly distinct groups of user types. This is also why we don't limit you on the number of tests you can run. We believe in fast feedback and iteration.
Our Testers will carry out your test and while doing so record their screen, webcam and microphone. You'll understand exactly what your tester was thinking while navigating your site. We'll also ask each user a set of standard usability questions to give you quantitative feedback on how you scored. Tests are capped at maximum 20 minutes, typically taking around 15 minutes to complete.
Tests are capped at maximum 20 minutes, typically taking around 15 minutes to complete, though will be determined by how elaborate the tasks are that you set in your test.
We allow all types of users to register to become testers, who are then vetted to ensure they meet the basic requirements of being able to record their screens, webcams and audio. We intentionally allow all users to register in order to maintain as broad of a pool of testers as possible to reflect your actual users. You will be able to set demographics that narrow down the users to your actual target market.
You can define the demographics that the your testers will need to fit, however you will not be able to select specific testers (this will be supported in the near future).
There is no limit, however we recommend to keep your tests focused to specific tasks and issue the test to around 5 participants (This article explains the optimal amount of participants)
You can setup as many steps as you wish, however note that the video recording is capped at maxmium 20 minutes, so we recommend to keep your tests short and focused, without too many individual tasks.
When reviewing a video result, you will have the option to contest the video, which will initiate a review of the contested video by Rocket Monkey staff. If your complaint is approved, you will be refunded for the test result. Please note that test results will be auto accepted after 5 days if they haven't been contested before then.
Each participant's account will only be able to submit one recording per test. Should a participant create multiple accounts and submit more than 1 result for a test, you will easily be able to distinguish this as you can view their webcam recording. In such cases you can contest the video result and Rocket Monkeys staff will ensure this is dealt with accordingly.
It can take as little as one hour for first results to start being submitted. If you select very specific demographics, it may take longer at times, though typically it shouldn't take more than a couple hours for you to receive all the results you requested.
All testers who fit the demographic that you have specified will see the test you have setup, as long as you still have remaining test results left for that test.
No! All information remains encrypted when a user users your website. However if you share any login credentials in the test or task descriptions, this will be stored on the Rocket Monkeys site until you decide to remove this information.
Absolutely! When setting up your test, simply provide the URL and login credentials (if required) for the testers (We recommend disabling these logins once you have completed your testing).
No! If the website runs in a browser, it can be tested (Your participants may potentially encounter compatibility issues as they would if they visit your website).
Yes you can test any site or applications you wish! We encourage to test your competitors to see what works well and what doesn't, as it will help drive your focus on areas you can improve.
You can either ask the testers to complete all steps aside from clicking the final submit/order button, or you can provide them dummy payment details within the testing instructions.
To become a desktop tester, you computer will have to meet these minimum requirements:
PC
Operating system: Windows 7 or higher.
Memory: At least 1 GB of total RAM and 0.5 GB of available RAM.
Free disk space: At least 3 GB of free disk space.
Browser: Internet Explorer 8 or higher, Firefox 3.5 or higher, Safari 4 or higher, or Chrome.
Mac
Operating system: OS X 10.7 or higher
Memory: At least 1 GB of total RAM and 0.5 GB of available RAM.
Free disk space: At least 3 GB of free disk space.
Browser: Internet Explorer 8 or higher, Firefox 3.5 or higher, Safari 4 or higher, or Chrome
(iOS & Android mobile devices & tablets will be supported in the near future)
Yes. As part of being a tester, it is essential that you speak your mind as you carry out each test, therefore a microphone is required to record your voice. You will have full control over when your microphone is recording, which is only done when you are running an active test. We recommend using one of the headsets reviewed here: http://thewirecutter.com/reviews/best-usb-office-headset/
Yes. As part of being a tester, it is essential that your reactions and expressions are recorded, as this provides priceless value to the person reviewing the test to understand how their website or application is received . You will have full control over when you webcam is recording, which is only done when you are running an active test.
Yes, you will need to install the Rocket Monkeys Recorder Application. This will enable you to start a test, record your screen, audio & webcam, review your recording, and upload this video back to the rocketmonkeys site to submit your test.
Mac: Simply Drag the Rocket Monkeys Recorder file to your trash icon Windows: From the Start Menu, select Rocket Monkeys Uninstaller and follow the steps in the prompt window.
Testers will receive a minimum of 7 € per completed test. Testers can earn more depending demographics and experience level. Very rarely (1%) a client asks for a refund because they're dissatisfied with the user. Following a review, if the claim is approved by Rocket Monkey staff, you don't get paid when this happens.
In some countries, all income underlie the tax liability and therefore have to be announced. RocketMonkeys does not withhold any taxes from payments. Tax exemptions have to be checked by the tester.
You will only be paid for video test results if they adhere to our guidelines, in summary this means the video & audio quality must be clear, your screen must be recording the appropriate screen where you are carrying out the test, and you must complete all tasks (typically our experienced testers will not have any of their video test results contested, and can rest assured that they will be paid for each result they submit).
Yes, though you will have full control over when you screen is recorded, which is only done when you are running an active test. You will have the option to select the screen you want to record on if you have multiple screens setup on your system.
Yes! Once you complete your test, you will be able to watch the full recording before starting the upload. You can choose to discard the recording and can start a new one.
Anyone the customer chooses to share the video with (typically they will keep this in a small internal group). Do not upload anything you are not comfortable with sharing, as Rocket Monkeys is a public service.
Testers typically receive several tests per week, though this may fluctuate from day to day depending on how many tests are issued. You can also check your dashboard at any time to see if there are any available tests (you will be notified via email as soon as new tests matching your demographics become available, unless you turned off notifications).
You may only get a response in some cases where any issues are identified. In most cases your test will not require any interaction between yourself and the person who created the test.