Beta feedback survey
Beta testers are kind, which makes their feedback vague. This survey asks what they were trying to do, the exact spot it broke, and the one thing to fix before launch. It ends with the Sean Ellis question, so you can tell a polish problem from a fit problem.
Best for: Product teams running an early-access or private beta before opening it to everyone.
Use this template free1 of 7
What were you trying to accomplish when you tried the beta?
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The questions
- 1What were you trying to accomplish when you tried the beta?Long textTies every later answer to a real task, so 'it was confusing' becomes 'it was confusing while doing X'.
- 2Where did it break or fall short of what you expected?Long textThe exact failure point. You can fix this. You can't fix an average rating.
- 3If we could fix only one thing before launch, what should it be?Long textOne pick per tester gives you a vote, not a wish list.
- 4How would you feel if you could no longer use this product?Single selectVery disappointed / Somewhat disappointed / Not disappointed. This is the Sean Ellis question. Around 40% 'very disappointed' is the usual sign of fit.
- 5What type of person do you think would benefit most from this?Long textTesters who'd miss it most often describe your real audience better than your own pitch does.
- 6What's the main benefit you've gotten from it so far?Long textTheir words here are ready-made launch copy, and they show whether the value you meant is the value they feel.
- 7How likely are you to keep using it after the beta ends?Opinion scaleA soft early read on retention before you have real usage numbers.
Sample replies, counted
These replies are made up to show the method.
Asked: Where did it break or fall short of what you expected?
CSV import choked on my 3,000 row file, just spun forever
Import failedI expected it to pull my Google Calendar in automatically and it only does Outlook right now.
Missing integrationThe import step. Dates came through as text and I had to redo them by hand.
Import failedTook me three tries to figure out where the workspace settings were, the gear icon does something else
Couldn't find settingsno slack notifications
Missing integrationimport dropped half my contacts without saying why
Import failedIt logged me out every time I closed the tab.
Other
| Label | Replies |
|---|---|
| Import failed | 3 |
| Missing integration | 2 |
| Couldn't find settings | 1 |
| Other | 1 |
Three of seven broke on import, more than anything else. Fix import before launch. The missing integrations can wait for the roadmap.
How to run it well
- Score the Sean Ellis question first. Well under 40% 'very disappointed' means fix fit before you fix polish.
- Filter every other answer to the 'very disappointed' group. They show what the product is for. Build for them, not the average tester.
- Group the 'one thing to fix' answers and ship the biggest group before launch. Leave the long tail for later.
- Send it after someone has finished the main flow once. Before that, you're measuring your setup screens, not the product.
- Copy the 'main benefit' answers into your launch page. Testers describe the value in plainer words than you will.
When not to use this: If the product is already open to everyone and you only want to know whether it has found its audience, run the product-market fit survey on its own.
FAQ
What's the Sean Ellis question and why include it?
It asks how someone would feel if they could no longer use the product. Sean Ellis found that products with strong growth usually had at least 40% of people answer 'very disappointed'. It measures attachment, not politeness, so it tells you whether to work on fit or polish before launch.
How is a beta survey different from a normal feedback survey?
A beta survey has to end in a decision: what changes before launch. So it asks for one fix and reads fit directly instead of collecting open reactions. Beta testers also chose to be early, so use their answers to decide what to build, not whether to build.
Should I survey testers who dropped off too?
Yes. They often have the most useful answers, because they show where it broke for someone with less patience. Send them a shorter version: where it fell short, and what would have kept them going.
Where the method comes from
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