Participant Screener Template
Purpose
This screener helps identify and recruit appropriate participants for usability testing. Use it to ensure you get a diverse, representative sample of users.
Screener Questions
Background Information
1. What is your current role?
☐ Application Developer ☐ Platform Engineer ☐ DevOps Engineer ☐ Site Reliability Engineer (SRE) ☐ QA/Test Engineer ☐ Engineering Manager ☐ Other: **__**
2. How long have you been in this role?
☐ Less than 6 months ☐ 6 months - 1 year ☐ 1-2 years ☐ 3-5 years ☐ 6-10 years ☐ More than 10 years
3. What is your overall experience level in software development/operations?
☐ Junior (0-2 years total experience) ☐ Mid-level (3-5 years total experience) ☐ Senior (6-10 years total experience) ☐ Staff/Principal (10+ years total experience)
Platform Usage
4. How often do you interact with the Fawkes platform or internal developer platform?
☐ Multiple times per day ☐ Daily ☐ Several times per week ☐ Once a week ☐ A few times per month ☐ Rarely ☐ Never (first time)
Screening: Aim for mix of frequencies. Include at least 1-2 new/occasional users and 3-4 regular users.
5. Which platform capabilities do you use most frequently? (Select all that apply)
☐ Deploying applications ☐ CI/CD pipelines ☐ Monitoring and observability ☐ Service catalog/templates ☐ Infrastructure provisioning ☐ Debugging/troubleshooting ☐ Security scanning ☐ Documentation ☐ Other: **__**
6. What programming languages or frameworks do you primarily work with? (Select all that apply)
☐ Java/Spring Boot ☐ Python/Django/Flask ☐ Node.js/Express ☐ Go ☐ .NET/C# ☐ Ruby/Rails ☐ React/Vue/Angular ☐ Other: **__**
Screening: Ensure representation of major tech stacks used in your organization.
Availability and Logistics
7. Are you available to participate in a 60-minute usability testing session in the next [timeframe, e.g., 2 weeks]?
☐ Yes ☐ No ☐ Maybe (depends on timing)
If Yes or Maybe, please provide your availability:
Preferred days: ☐ Mon ☐ Tue ☐ Wed ☐ Thu ☐ Fri Preferred times: ☐ Morning (9-11am) ☐ Midday (11am-2pm) ☐ Afternoon (2-5pm)
Best way to reach you: **__** Email: **__** Mattermost/Slack handle: **__**
8. Do you have access to a reliable internet connection and ability to share your screen during a video call?
☐ Yes ☐ No (may require in-person session)
9. Are you comfortable being recorded (screen and audio) during the session? Recordings are used for note-taking only and are deleted after analysis.
☐ Yes ☐ No ☐ Unsure (need more information)
Screening Criteria
10. Have you participated in a usability test or user research session in the past 3 months?
☐ Yes ☐ No
Screening: If testing frequently, may want to prioritize those who haven't tested recently to get fresh perspectives.
11. [Optional - For Feature-Specific Testing] Have you used [specific feature being tested] before?
☐ Yes, regularly ☐ Yes, occasionally ☐ Yes, once or twice ☐ No, never
Screening: Depends on test goals. For new features, recruit mix of experienced and new users.
Additional Context
12. What are your biggest pain points or frustrations when using internal development tools or platforms? (Open-ended)
13. What would make your daily work significantly easier? (Open-ended)
14. Is there anything specific you'd like to test or provide feedback on? (Open-ended)
15. Any additional comments or information you'd like to share?
Recruitment Selection Criteria
Target Mix (For 6-8 Participants)
By Role:
- 3-4 Application Developers
- 2-3 Platform/DevOps Engineers
- 1-2 Others (SRE, QA, managers)
By Experience:
- 1-2 Junior (0-2 years)
- 2-3 Mid-level (3-5 years)
- 2-3 Senior+ (6+ years)
By Platform Familiarity:
- 1-2 New/Occasional users
- 3-4 Regular users
- 1-2 Power users
By Tech Stack:
- Ensure representation of major stacks (Java, Python, Node.js, etc.)
- At least 2 different primary languages represented
Screening Decision
Participant ID: P__ Decision: ☐ Selected ☐ Waitlist ☐ Not Selected
Rationale: **___**
Priority: ☐ High (fills critical gap in diversity) ☐ Medium ☐ Low
Recruitment Email Template
Subject: Invitation: Usability Testing for Fawkes Platform - [Feature Name]
Body:
Hi [Name],
Thanks for your interest in participating in usability testing for the Fawkes
platform!
Based on your responses, we'd love to have you participate in a session to
test [feature/workflow]. Your feedback will directly inform improvements to
the platform.
**Session Details:**
- **Duration**: 60 minutes
- **Format**: Remote via [Zoom/Teams/Google Meet]
- **Recording**: Yes (screen + audio, for note-taking only)
- **Compensation**: [Gift card / Swag / Recognition]
**What to Expect:**
You'll complete realistic tasks using the platform while thinking aloud. We're
testing the platform, not you - there are no wrong answers. If something is
confusing or doesn't work, that's exactly what we want to know!
**Available Times:**
Please select your preferred time(s):
- [Option 1: Day, Date, Time]
- [Option 2: Day, Date, Time]
- [Option 3: Day, Date, Time]
- [Other: Please suggest alternatives]
Reply to this email with your preferred time, and I'll send a calendar invite.
If you have any questions, feel free to reach out!
Thanks,
[Your Name]
[Product Team]
[Contact Info]
Waitlist Template
Subject: Thank You - Fawkes Platform Usability Testing
Body:
Hi [Name],
Thank you for your interest in participating in usability testing for the
Fawkes platform!
We received more responses than we have slots available for this round of
testing. We've placed you on our waitlist and will reach out if we have
openings or for future testing opportunities.
We truly appreciate your willingness to help improve the platform. Your input
is valuable, and we hope to work with you soon!
Best,
[Your Name]
[Product Team]
Reminder Email Template
Send 24 hours before session
Subject: Reminder: Usability Testing Tomorrow at [Time]
Body:
Hi [Name],
This is a friendly reminder about your usability testing session tomorrow:
**Date & Time**: [Day, Date, Time, Timezone]
**Duration**: 60 minutes
**Video Link**: [Zoom/Teams/Meet Link]
**Before the Session:**
- Please ensure you can access [test environment URL]
- Test your camera and microphone
- Find a quiet space with minimal distractions
- Have a glass of water nearby!
**What to Expect:**
You'll complete realistic tasks using the platform while thinking aloud.
Remember, we're testing the platform, not you. Your honest feedback - both
positive and negative - is incredibly valuable.
**Running Late or Need to Reschedule?**
No problem! Just reply to this email or contact me at [phone/Slack].
Looking forward to learning from you tomorrow!
Thanks,
[Your Name]
[Contact Info]
Post-Session Thank You Template
Send within 1 hour after session
Subject: Thank You - Fawkes Usability Testing
Body:
Hi [Name],
Thank you so much for participating in today's usability testing session!
Your feedback was incredibly valuable and will directly inform improvements
to the platform.
**What Happens Next:**
- Your responses will be anonymized and analyzed
- We'll share insights with the product and engineering teams
- You may see improvements based on your feedback in the coming months
**Your Compensation:**
[Details about gift card, swag, or other thank you]
**Future Testing:**
We may reach out again in the future for follow-up sessions or to test new
features. You can opt out at any time by replying to this email.
Thank you again for helping us make the Fawkes platform better!
Best,
[Your Name]
[Product Team]
Template Version: 1.0 Last Updated: December 2025 Owner: Product Team