Work
Checking the nation's hearing with RNID's hearing test
With 1 in 5 people in the UK thought to have some form of hearing loss, getting the nation to check its hearing has never been more important. That's why at RNID we created a 3-minute digital hearing test that could be taken from any device just with a pair of headphones.
This flagship product has gone on to provide a basic hearing test for more than 500,000 people, many of whom have gone on to take action on their hearing loss. It was developed in an iterative way with a cross-functional, agile development team.
By the numbers
The hearing test has become RNID's most successful digital product, not only for those it helps, but as a key journey to becoming a supporter.
600,000
completed hearing tests by May 2025
1,300
new regular donors (as of October 2023)
120,000
new email leads (as of October 2023)
87%
people with potential hearing loss take action within 12 weeks
What we did
Iterative testing
Right from its creation, the hearing test was regularly tested with users, either in 1:1 user testing sessions or through A/B testing. This informed decision making about the product in an iterative way.
Data
We prioritised the use of data to build effective journeys. By collecting user email addresses, we were able to support people after they received their result and move people into supporter journeys. It also allowed us to better report on the impact of taking the hearing test.
Product marketing
Marketing the product was essential to rapid growth. High profile press coverage was secured, for example on BBC Breakfast, resulting in large numbers of users taking the test.
Partnerships
By working in partnerships with business and organisations, we were able to extend the reach of the hearing test. The NHS now links to the hearing test from its website and many businesses have encouraged their employees to get checked.