Product research
Empty-state usability questions
Check whether a screen with no data helps a new user understand the next step or leaves them wondering whether something is broken.
- Who to ask
- New users or users opening a newly created workspace.
- When to ask
- During a first-use test before providing instructions.
Questions to adapt
- What do you think this screen is for?
- What would you do first?
- What information do you expect to appear here?
- Does anything seem missing or broken?
- What would help you begin?
Use the answers
Compare the intended next action with what users choose unaided. Improve the primary action and concise explanation, then retest without coaching to see whether people can proceed independently.
Keep the research useful
Showing users the correct action before asking these questions hides the very confusion you are trying to observe.
Collect the feedback in Formkii
Start a short survey with a clear introduction and a consistent reference period. Use choice questions where you need comparable categories and open text where the explanation matters. Preview the survey with someone who understands the task, then share the published link with the relevant participants. Review written answers alongside response counts, and export to CSV if you need to group themes in a spreadsheet.