# Testing a fan deck's usability before production

> Observe how people find, compare, handle and record colors before committing a fan deck to manufacture.

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PHOENiX Sample

PHOENiX Sample · 3 min read · Last updated 14 November 2026

A fan deck can be beautifully produced and still be difficult to use. A hidden code, an unclear sequence or awkward handling can interrupt the task at the moment a customer is ready to decide. Testing a physical prototype reveals these problems while changes are still manageable.

![Open and closed fan decks with rounded sample edges](https://phoenixsample.com/assets/images/articles-v262/fan-deck-usability.webp)

AI-generated concept illustration: Open and closed fan decks with rounded sample edges.

## Test the tool with its intended users

Identify who will use the deck and in what setting: a designer at a material table, a salesperson at a counter or a contractor on site. Include people representative of those tasks rather than relying only on the team that designed the sequence.

Usability testing places a participant, realistic tasks and a facilitator together to observe interaction with a product or service. [\[1\]](https://phoenixsample.com/insights-fan-deck-usability.html#source-1) The same basic approach can be adapted to a physical color tool, provided the prototype is sufficiently representative of the features being evaluated.

## Use tasks that do not reveal the answer

Ask someone to find a slightly warmer alternative to a selected neutral, compare two nearby shades, or record the chosen color for ordering. Avoid instructions such as “turn to the warm-neutral tab,” which test compliance with a hint rather than the navigation itself.

NN/g advises writing realistic task scenarios that encourage action without giving away how the interface should be used. [\[2\]](https://phoenixsample.com/insights-fan-deck-usability.html#source-2) Apply that principle to the deck: state the goal, then observe the route the person chooses.

## Observe the complete selection sequence

| Task stage | What to observe | Possible design response |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Locate | Searching, skipped families and repeated scanning | Clearer sequence or navigation cues |
| Compare | Occluded samples and awkward spreading | Adjusted leaf order or usable sample area |
| Identify | Confusion between code, name and finish | Stronger information hierarchy |
| Record | Transcription errors or missing qualifiers | Consistent code placement and wording |
| Close and return | Loose leaves or difficult repositioning | Revised binding or handling design |

Use a neutral observation sheet. Record what happened before proposing a cause. “Participant read the neighboring code” is stronger evidence than “the font is bad,” because several layout factors may have contributed.

## Choose measures that fit the study

Record task completion, assistance, code errors and qualitative comments. Time can be useful when the task and prototype are comparable, but speed alone is not the goal of a careful color decision. A slower comparison may reflect productive evaluation rather than poor usability.

Distinguish an identification error from a preference. A participant disliking a shade is different from being unable to identify it correctly. Likewise, a mock-up made from rough substitute materials cannot establish final handling comfort unless its construction adequately represents production.

## Turn findings into focused revisions

In an illustrative trial, participants find the right family but repeatedly copy a code from the neighboring leaf. Revise the relationship between sample and label, then test the affected task again. Do not redesign the whole deck if a local hierarchy change addresses the observed cause.

Prioritize problems by consequence and recurrence. A wrong order code warrants more attention than an isolated comment about decorative styling. Keep a record of the change, the evidence behind it and whether the revised prototype resolved the problem.

## Confirm the production version

Before release, verify that production dimensions, print contrast, binding and sample placement preserve the tested behavior. A successful paper mock-up does not cover a later change that hides part of the label or makes the deck harder to spread.

Explore [custom color fan deck formats](https://phoenixsample.com/products-color-fan-decks.html) for your project.

## Trace where a correct choice becomes a wrong order

Ask a participant to select a sample and dictate its code to a colleague who cannot see the deck. Have the colleague retrieve the sample from a second deck. Log selection, spoken code and retrieved chip separately. If selection was correct but retrieval failed, check code legibility and transcription before reorganizing the colors. [Nielsen Norman Group — Task scenarios](https://phoenixsample.com/insights-fan-deck-usability.html#source-2)

## Practical conclusion

The final approval should answer four questions: can users find a suitable candidate, compare it, identify it and communicate it accurately? That evidence gives design and production teams a shared reason for the layout choices and makes future revisions easier to assess.

## References and further reading

1. [Nielsen Norman Group — Usability testing 101](https://www.nngroup.com/articles/usability-testing-101/)
2. [Nielsen Norman Group — Task scenarios for usability testing](https://www.nngroup.com/articles/task-scenarios-usability-testing/)

## Related articles

- [How many colors does a paint collection need?](https://phoenixsample.com/insights-collection-size.html) — Choose collection size through coverage, meaningful distinctions and real selection tasks rather than a headline number.
- [Updating a color collection without confusing the market](https://phoenixsample.com/insights-collection-updates.html) — Plan color-range revisions with clear identities, replacement guidance and coordinated physical and digital records.