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Test · Core

Run a beta or pilot with real users

Before opening to everyone, let a small group use the real product for real tasks. A beta finds the problems testing cannot and builds confidence for the full launch.

About 5-20 daysEvergreenLast reviewed 5 November 2026

Who this applies to

Skills it builds
Discovery and researchDelivery and execution
PM types
All
Product types
All
Starting points
All
Ways of working
All
Experience
All
Size of organisation
All

Steps, by experience

Beginner (under 1 year)

  1. Decide what you want to learn from the beta and what would make you ready to launch more widely.
  2. Choose a small group of real users who represent your main audience, including some who may struggle.
  3. Tell them what to expect, how to give feedback and how to get help.
  4. Watch the data and feedback closely, and talk to some users directly.
  5. Fix the most important problems quickly and tell users what changed.
  6. At the end, decide: go wider, run longer or change direction.

Intermediate (1 to 4 years)

  1. Set beta goals and exit criteria.
  2. Recruit a representative group and set up feedback and support routes.
  3. Monitor data, feedback and support tickets, and fix the top issues.
  4. Make a documented go or no-go decision.

Experienced (5+ years)

  1. Use staged rollout with feature flags to widen access gradually.
  2. Compare beta users with a control group where possible.
  3. Agree exit criteria with stakeholders before the beta starts.
  4. Use beta evidence to sharpen positioning and launch messages.

Who can do this

Owner: Product manager

Can be delegated to

  • User Researcher: Recruit beta users and run follow-up interviews
  • Data Analyst or Performance Analyst: Monitor beta metrics against the exit criteria
  • DevOps / SRE or Backend Engineer: Set up feature flags or a separate beta environment

Reviewed by: Tech Lead, User Researcher

Tool examples

Amplitude
Create a cohort of beta users and compare their behaviour with others.
Google Analytics 4
Add a user property for beta users so you can filter reports.
Jira
Create a beta feedback board and triage it daily.
Notion
Keep a beta log of issues, fixes and what you told users.

Definition of done

  • Beta goals and exit criteria agreed
  • Representative users recruited and supported
  • Top issues fixed
  • Go or no-go decision recorded

Common pitfalls

  • Recruiting only friendly or expert users
  • No clear exit criteria, so the beta never ends
  • Collecting feedback but not acting on it

If you lead the team

What good looks like: A small group uses the real product for real tasks before it opens to everyone.

Ask your PM

  • What did the beta teach us, and what did we change?
  • What would stop us launching?

Warning signs

  • The beta is a marketing exercise.
  • There are no criteria for moving from beta to full launch.

Do these first

Sources