General
What is Trymata?
At Trymata we enable website owners to learn about users’ experiences on their website through usability testing. By seeing where users get lost, stuck, or confused, designers and developers can fix usability problems and make their websites easier to use for everyone who visits.
What is a usability test?
A usability test consists of:
- A video of your device’s screen as you use a target website or app. The video features your voice as you describe in detail your impressions and thoughts while using the website or app and performing the requested tasks.
- Your written responses to any follow-up surveys and questionnaires regarding your experience on the website.
What are you looking for in a great usability tester?
We rate you based on several criteria. To be a great usability tester you must:
- Follow instructions closely and stay on task. You will be given a set of tasks to perform on the test website, and you must follow them carefully.
- Clearly say exactly what you are thinking as you are thinking it. We are interested in your impressions, expectations, and the motivations for your actions. Don’t edit your thoughts as you navigate the website; simply say exactly what you are thinking at each step.
- Write a clear, detailed written summary answering some questions about your experience after you complete the video portion of the test.
Remember, the goal of a usability test is to see how an ordinary user does with the site, so don’t try to do anything special or different. Your role is not to be an expert critic, just a normal person off the street, so to speak. Try to get into the mindset given to you in the Frame of Mind and imagine that you’re using the website in real life.
Receiving tests
How do I find out about available tests?
After you have qualified, you will receive a notification email when a test is available for your demographic. These go out to a large set of testers who fit that demographic, and the available tests are filled on a first-come-first-serve basis.
Why am I not getting tests?
The amount of tests you get depends on a number of factors, including your demographic profile, your response rate, and how long it’s been since you’ve received a test. The longer it’s been, the more likely you are to receive one.
Not all demographics will be equally in demand, but you can increase the chances of receiving a test by making sure all of your demographic indicators are filled out. That way, highly targeted tests for your demographic (for which there is less competition) can be sent your way.
If you signed up to be a tester recently and still haven’t received any tests, don’t lose hope! We get a lot of new signups, and since no one has a score yet, everyone is equally likely to get a test. It may take a week or so to get your first one, but if you do well on it you will heavily increase your chances to get future tests.
Why do I keep missing out on tests?
We send out notifications based on how long it’s been since you’ve performed a test, how well you’ve done on previous tests, and how many tests you have missed out on. So while we recognize that it’s frustrating to constantly miss out on tests, do note that we track this and put you at the head of the notification queue in recognition of your effort.
However, we can’t control delays caused by email servers, or how often you check your email, so this prioritized notification is no guarantee that you’ll get the next test.
My Score and Ranking indicators show “NA.” Is this affecting my ability to receive paid tests to perform?
No – you will not have a score or ranking until after you’ve started taking paid tests. Don’t worry that it says “NA” for now. We are just waiting to see how clients rate you on real tests.
How many tests can I do?
There’s no specific limit on the number of tests you can do, but realistically, you can expect to do a couple a week. This is definitely not full-time or even part-time work, but rather a way to make a few bucks doing something fun in your spare time.
Downloading and installing the recorder
Where can I download the Trymata recorder application on my computer without logging in?
You can download the recorder at this web page: trymata.com/install.
After I download the Trymata Recorder software and try to install it, I keep getting an error popup that says “This launcher was created with an evaluation version of install4j.” What is happening?
This popup is actually not an error; it is just information about the application. When you see this popup, hit the Ok button and you will able to continue on and install the recorder.
Performing tests
I can’t open the Trymata Recorder, when I click on the application on my computer nothing happens. Why isn’t it opening?
By itself, the Trymata Recorder doesn’t actually do anything, so clicking directly on the application will have no effect.
Instead, when you are starting a test you should open the test file you have downloaded onto your computer. By default, your test file will open with the Trymata Recorder application, allowing the test instructions to be displayed properly.
I tried to take a test that was sent to me but when I clicked the Start Test link/Start Recording button, I got a popup that said the test has already been performed by another user?
Tests are fulfilled on a first come, first serve basis, and sometimes there will be many eligible testers trying to take the same test at once. To make sure the people taking the test don’t outnumber the amount of results ordered by the customer, we check each number before you start testing.
If there are already enough people performing the test, you will be blocked from starting so that you don’t waste your time on a test that has already been fulfilled.
Payments
How often do you pay out?
We send out payments every weekday (Monday-Friday), in the morning US Pacific Time. Most times, your tests will be paid within a few days after you take them, but remember that payments are scheduled to go out only after your test has been accepted by our review team. If your test is graded after the morning cutoff, payment will not be received until the day after.
How will I be paid?
We send you payment via Paypal after your test is accepted, unless you are performing the test via MTurk, in which case the payment is done automatically upon acceptance.
My test status says “Paid” but I still haven’t received any money on my PayPal account. Is this an error?
PayPal occasionally delays mass payments like ours to confirm that they are legitimate. If you still haven’t received payment for a test that has been marked as “Paid,” it is probably because PayPal is holding our payments for this reason, and it will come through soon. If after 3 business days you still have not been paid, please contact us for assistance.
Account
I accidentally signed up as a customer instead of a tester, how do I change my account type?
Please use the “Contact us” tab to send us a request to change your account type. Make sure to include the email address you signed up with.
Do I need to use my PayPal email to sign up with Trymata?
Yes. In order to be paid for the tests you perform, you must sign up with an email address that is tied to a PayPal account.
If you have already signed up with an email address not linked to PayPal, you can change it on the My Profile page. Just type the new address into the Email box, then click Submit. You will receive a verification email in your inbox. Please verify the new address before continuing to test.
How can I take tests for Trymata with my existing Personal/Team/Enterprise/EDU account?
Unfortunately, it is not possible to do work as a tester with Trymata from a customer account. If you are a customer and would also like to get paid to take tests, you must sign up as a tester using a different email from your customer account.