I went on a solo trip to Goa. The plan was simple: chill, explore, maybe reset my brain a little. But at the same time, I was working on Happi, a virtual AI mental health companion, and I had some MVP screens ready. So I thought, why not test it here?
And honestly — Goa turned out to be the best place I could’ve picked for user testing.
So, why Goa?
Because Goa has everyone.
Different languages. Different regions. Different cultures. Ages from 2 to 80. People with money, people without. Artists, techies, travellers, students. You name it.
Basically, whatever your target audience is, you’ll probably find them here.
Now, you might argue — metro cities also have the same diversity, right? True. But here’s the catch:
- In metros, people are always in a rush. Everyone has somewhere to be.
- Even if they agree to “test your app,” it’s usually because they’re getting something out of it (money, coupons, rewards).
- Which means… you often end up with generic answers. Stuff that looks good in a survey report but doesn’t give you real empathy.
In Goa, the same people are in a different headspace. They’ve come to chill. They’re open. They’re curious. They’ll actually sit with you, try something out, and give real feedback without rushing to the next thing.
That’s gold for a designer.
How I did user testing in Goa
I stayed in hostels, not fancy hotels. Why? Because hostels are full of people who love to talk, connect, and vibe.
Sometimes I’d be in the café or common area. In Goa, if you sit alone, someone will come talk to you. So conversations just happened naturally.
I never walked in thinking, “Okay, I’m going to get this person to test my product.”
First, I’d just chat, get to know them, bond. Eventually the question comes: “So, what do you do?”
And instead of saying “I’m a UI/UX designer”, I’d say something like:
“I’m building a virtual AI companion for mental health. A space where you can talk to an AI like it’s your buddy — video, audio, or chat. No judgment, just support.”
That’s it. Almost always, people got curious. Some even asked, “Oh wow, can I try it?” — which is the best-case scenario. When people volunteer to test, you know the interest is organic.
I’d hand over my laptop or tab, sit quietly, and just watch how they used it.
What I learned
- Don’t force testing. The best insights come when people actually want to try.
- Observe silently. Don’t explain, don’t guide. Just watch where they get stuck, confused, or delighted.
- Record (with consent). A screen recording + notes can save details you’ll miss in the moment.
A few big takeaways for me:
- People found it hard to switch smoothly from video → audio → chat. I redesigned that flow.
- The homepage CTA hierarchy was confusing. Feedback helped me clean it up so it felt natural.
The version after these iterations was so much smoother than what I started with.
The bigger point
User testing doesn’t always need labs, surveys, or formal setups. Sometimes the best feedback comes when people are free, curious, and relaxed. Goa just happened to give me that environment.
So if you ever need genuine user insights, try taking your product somewhere unexpected. Who knows — maybe you’ll find your own “Goa.”
And if your manager asks why you need a ticket to Goa, just tell them:
“It’s for user research.” 😉
