Disappointing experience after five years as a tester
Disappointing experience after five years as a tester
I’ve been a member of Lyssna’s UserCrowd tester panel for around five years and have generally been a reliable and consistent participant. Unfortunately, following the introduction of the new rating system, my rating dropped dramatically to 3.4, despite having no specific feedback or explanation identifying any problems with my submissions.
I have considerable experience completing usability tests and take care to provide relevant and considered responses. However, I have concerns that the new system places too much emphasis on factors such as response speed and the length of written answers, rather than assessing the actual quality and usefulness of the feedback.
I also think expectations need to be proportionate to the payments offered. UserCrowd studies generally pay relatively little, and it isn’t reasonable to expect testers to provide lengthy written explanations for every question simply to maintain a good rating.
The consequences of the new rating system were particularly frustrating. My study invitations dried up, leaving me with little opportunity to improve my rating or demonstrate the quality of my work.
I contacted support to explain my concerns and request payment of my remaining balance, as I no longer wished to participate. To their credit, they arranged payment without requiring me to reach the usual $10 withdrawal threshold.
I’ve now closed my account. After five years, it’s disappointing that a change to the rating system has resulted in this experience. I believe greater transparency, meaningful feedback and a fairer assessment process are needed if UserCrowd wants to retain experienced testers.
Unfortunately, I can no longer recommend the platform.
