How to Win Buy-In for UX and User Testing

If you’ve ever tried to convince executive leaders to invest in user testing, you may have seen it: the raised eyebrow, the polite nod, the quiet resistance. It’s not that they don’t care about users. It’s just that the idea of opening the door to feedback can feel risky. What if it invites a flood of complaints? What if it leads to more support emails? What if it reflects badly on leadership?

It's understandable. People in leadership carry a lot. The more senior someone is, the more plates they’re spinning. And often, the farther they are from day-to-day user interactions. That means the people making decisions about the user experience may have never actually witnessed someone trying (and failing) to use the website.

And that’s the crux of it. Without real user insight, decisions are often based on assumptions. Or internal preferences. Or, let's be honest, the bottom line. But as you already know, user feedback doesn’t just expose problems. It uncovers opportunities to serve better, work smarter, and align digital experiences with your mission.

So, how do we bring leaders on board, especially when they’re unsure?

Start With Their Priorities

One of the best ways to engage leadership is to speak their language. That means tying your project directly to organizational goals.

Instead of asking, “Can we invest in user testing?” try something like, “I’ve identified a way to improve our donation flow that could increase completions by 15% and reduce support requests. I’d like to test it with a few users.”

It’s a shift from “I want to test something” to “I want to improve something.” This reframing shows that you’re not chasing best practices for their own sake. You’re solving business problems. You’re making their job easier.

Deb Liu, in her guidance on executive presentations, says it well: “Talk about things in the context of the company’s mission, the executive team’s goals, and how the work you do helps with one or both.” When you do that, you’re not pitching an experiment. You’re offering a strategy.

Be Ready to Handle Objections

Some leaders are afraid that inviting feedback will trigger a tsunami of complaints. Others fear it will add work their team can’t handle. Those are fair concerns. So be proactive.

Assure them there will be guidelines in place. Show that the feedback will be structured, not a free-for-all. Suggest a tool that keeps responses organized. Offer to help train the team. The message here is: We’ve thought this through. We’re not inviting chaos.

Julia Campbell offers a smart tip: “Assure them that there will be adequate training and comprehensive policies in place to protect the organization and the clients.” This kind of preparation goes a long way toward easing fears.

Keep It Ruthlessly Concise

Another thing about executives? Their attention is split across a thousand things. If your proposal takes 15 minutes to explain, it is probably too long.

Don’t bury them in detail. Focus on the outcomes.

Try short, punchy summaries:

• “If we switch platforms, we could save 40 hours a year in admin time—about $1,600 in wages.”
• “Updating this form could shave 2 minutes off the donation process. That could reduce drop-offs by 20%.”

Numbers help. So does clarity. If they want to dive deeper, they’ll ask. But most of the time, they just need enough to make a call. As Deb Liu points out, “Rarely are leaders impressed by the breadth of a presentation. They want clear thinking that helps them make decisions.”

Don’t Wait for Permission

And what if your leaders are still hesitant?

Sometimes, it’s worth doing a small test without waiting for full approval. Paul Boag calls this the “forgiveness over permission” approach.

Start with something small. Run a usability test with 5 users. (That’s all it takes to spot the majority of issues.) Ask testers to do simple things like:

• Find a program page and sign up for updates.
• Make a donation from the homepage.

Record the session if you can. You’ll be amazed what a short video can do. Watching someone fumble through a task is way more persuasive than showing a pie chart. I’ve seen leaders go from “Maybe later” to “Fix that today” in the span of one 30-second clip.

Then, make a small change. Maybe a button is too hard to find. Tweak its size or colour. Or reposition it to make it more visible. Give it a week or two. Watch the numbers. If completions improve, you’ve got proof in your pocket.

Now you’re not just talking theory. You’re armed with real results.

You’re Not Just a Designer, You’re a Leader

Leaders aren’t always the ones with the title. Often, they’re the ones willing to act, to listen, and to improve things, and to do so quietly, consistently, and with care.

When you tie your design improvement work to mission outcomes, handle objections kindly, present proposals clearly, and show results. Your organization will be better for it.

Even if your changes are small at first, they open the door to a culture that values real feedback. And that’s how good design—ethical, useful, people-first design—takes root.