mcd-partners/news/testing-mobile-while-simulating-real-life

# agency
name             MCD Partners
what             A founder-led creative, technology, and media agency for ambitious brands that want to get moving.
founded          1999
network          M&C Saatchi Worldwide, since 2016
services         Creative, technology, media
website          https://www.mcdpartners.com
contact          https://www.mcdpartners.com/contact
phone            +1 212-500-4500
new-business     Megan Nora, mnora@mcdpartners.com, +1 773-316-6284
offices          New York, Chicago, Miami
office-new-york  1178 Broadway, 3rd Floor #3097, New York, NY 10001, +1 212-500-4500
office-chicago   200 South Wacker Drive, Suite 3100, Chicago, IL 60606, +1 312-279-9100
office-miami     218 NW 24th Street, Suite 327, Miami, FL 33127, +1 571-385-1686
linkedin         http://www.linkedin.com/company/magnani-caruso-dutton
instagram        http://instagram.com/mcdpartners

# current-page
path         /news/testing-mobile-while-simulating-real-life
title        Testing Mobile While Simulating Real Life
description  Testing apps and sites on mobile devices provides a unique set of challenges. We don’t typically use our phones alone, sitting at a table in a quiet room
published    2012-07-07
reviewed     2026-01-22
human-view   https://www.mcdpartners.com/news/testing-mobile-while-simulating-real-life

# article
headline  Testing Mobile While Simulating Real Life
category  Insights

# outline

## Testing Mobile While Simulating Real Life

### Testing apps and sites on mobile devices provides a unique set of challenges. We don’t typically use our phones alone, sitting at a table in a quiet room.

![testing mobile apps](https://images.ctfassets.net/ts86z860s6dc/3i0TkDTrptgnxqj33E17j7/e11c16b752ba94d340fd144c57988338/testing_mobile_apps.jpeg)

We use them everywhere – at home, at work, on the go – and all the time. So how do we fake it? We’ll share a couple of things that have worked for us.

For starters, think about the hands – if you’re using your phone, it’s in your hand. When we first brought mobile to our lab we wrestled with the question: How do you capture without disrupting behavior? You can’t attach the phone to the table. There goes mobility. You *could* strap a camera to the phone and aim it downwards, but that’s obtrusive. We came up with another solution. Through an adapter and other discreet cameras (hint: look up at the ceiling next time you’re in our Lab), we capture three feeds – the screen of the device, and the face and hands of the user. The hand feed is critical to learnings – seeing the scrolling, pinching, swiping, and pointing allows us to analyze things that users forget to say out loud.

There’s also the time issue. Mobile sites are not about relaxed browsing. Usually, they’re about tasks. This means that it’s critical for us to test with an eye towards convenience and ease. If it takes too long for a user to complete a task, this is as much of a red flag for us as the user not getting there at all.

Testing is not one-size fits all. Device matters. With real life in mind, and what this means for mobile, we have been able to gather insights that matter too.

For more about the MCD Insights Lab, contact Jeri: [jziegler@mcdpartners.com](mailto:jziegler@mcdpartners.com).