A click test (also called click tracking or click heatmapping) is a UX research method where you place a user task or question on a design or webpage, and participants indicate where they would click to accomplish that task or answer. Rather than actually interacting with a clickable prototype, participants simply click on the area of a static design where they believe the relevant action or information is located.
Click tests provide powerful insights into findability, usability, and navigation clarity by showing where users expect to find things. If most users click the right location, your design clearly communicates affordance and function. If clicks are scattered across multiple locations, your design is ambiguous and needs clarification.
Click tests are particularly valuable because they're quick to set up, don't require interactive prototypes, work with static designs or screenshots, and provide immediate, quantifiable data about whether your interface communicates clearly.
Click tests are ideal for:
Navigation Element Testing: Determine if users can find specific features, pages, or functions in your navigation menu or interface. For example, "Where would you click to change your profile settings?"
Feature Findability: Test whether a new feature is discoverable in your existing interface. Scatter plots show if users can find it or if it's hidden or unclear.
CTA (Call-to-Action) Button Clarity: Verify that users recognize and know where to click for specific actions. Heatmaps show if your CTA is obvious or overlooked.
Link Understanding: Test whether link text, icons, or buttons clearly communicate what happens when clicked. High variance in click locations indicates confusion about purpose.
Form Usability: Test whether form elements, labels, and buttons are understandable. Show users a form screenshot and ask "Where would you click to submit?" to validate button clarity.
Menu & Sitemap Structure: Validate that your navigation structure matches user expectations by asking "Where would you click to find X?" across multiple navigation items.
Mobile vs. Desktop Comparison: Run click tests on both mobile and desktop versions of the same design to ensure findability is consistent across devices.
Information Location: Test whether users can locate specific information on a page. For example, "Where would you click to see pricing options?" helps validate information hierarchy.
Icon Effectiveness: Validate whether icons alone (without accompanying text) are understood by users. Ask "What would you click if you wanted to [action]?" to test icon recognition.
Before & After Validation: After redesigning an interface, run click tests to confirm that the new design improves findability compared to the previous version.
| Section | Topic | Jump to |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Getting Started: Creating Your Click Test | Click here |
| 2 | Uploading Your Design Assets | Click here |
| 3 | Uploading & Preparing Design Assets | Click here |
| 4 | Creating Task Instructions & Click Questions | Click here |
| 5 | Setting Success Criteria | Click here |
| 6 | Participant Targeting & Distribution | Click here |
| 7 | Launching Your Click Test | Click here |
| 8 | Best Practices & Tips | Click here |