Your Beta Tester Guide
Everything you need to know about participating — written in plain language, no tech jargon.
What You'll Be Doing
As a beta tester, you'll work through the Digital Confidence Centre lessons just like any other learner — but with one extra task: sharing your honest reaction as you go.
You don't need any special skills. You just need to use the site and notice how it feels. Things like:
- Was this easy to understand, or confusing?
- Did the text feel too small, too big, or just right?
- Was there anything you wanted to know that wasn't covered?
- Did anything make you feel nervous or unsure?
You are the expert on what it feels like to learn this material. That's why your feedback is so valuable.
How Long Does It Take?
The beta programme runs over approximately 3–4 weeks. Most people spend about 2–3 hours per week — that's roughly 20–30 minutes a few times a week.
There is no set schedule. You can work on a lesson first thing in the morning, after lunch, or in the evening — whatever suits you best. You can also take breaks whenever you like. Everything is saved automatically.
How to Give Feedback
There are two easy ways to share your thoughts:
- The blue feedback button — look for a small button labelled "Ideas & Feedback" in the footer of every page. Tap it to open a short form where you can share what you thought of that lesson. It only takes a minute.
- The feedback survey — after completing 3 or 4 lessons, we may send you a short survey by email. It asks broader questions about your overall experience.
There are no wrong answers. We want your honest opinion — even if (especially if!) something didn't work well for you.
What to Look For
Here are the kinds of things that would help us most to hear about:
- Confusion Any sentence, instruction, or step that left you feeling unsure or puzzled.
- Too hard Any part that felt overwhelming, moved too fast, or assumed knowledge you don't have.
- Too easy Any part that felt too basic or talked down to you.
- Missing info Something you wanted to know that wasn't covered.
- Great! Anything that made you say "That was helpful!" — we want to know what's working too.
- Technical Anything that didn't load, looked broken, or was hard to tap/click.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I have to complete all the modules?
No. We'd love it if you could, but we understand life gets busy. Even completing 3–4 modules and sharing your thoughts is genuinely helpful. Just let us know how far you got.
What if I break something or make a mistake?
You can't break anything — the site is view-only from your end. And there are no wrong answers in the lessons either. If you get a quiz question wrong, you just try again. No penalty, no judgement.
What if I need help with my device?
We're not a device support service, but Connected Canadians offers free tech help by phone at 1-855-808-0505. They're patient, friendly, and specifically trained to help seniors with technology.
Will my feedback be private?
Yes. Your feedback is only seen by the Digital Confidence Centre team. We may quote general themes (like "several testers found this section confusing") in reports, but we will never share your name or personal details.
Can I stop at any time?
Absolutely. There's no obligation. If you decide to stop for any reason — no problem at all. You don't even need to explain. Just close the website and that's that.
I'm not very good with computers. Is that okay?
That's actually ideal. We specifically want people who are newer to technology, because the whole point of this programme is to help beginners. Your perspective is exactly what we need.
What happens to the programme after the beta?
Your feedback will be used to improve the lessons, fix confusing parts, and add anything that's missing. The final version will be made available free to all Ontario seniors. You'll have helped make it better for thousands of people.
Questions? We're Here to Help.
Use the feedback form on the home page, or call Connected Canadians at 1-855-808-0505 for device help.
Ready to sign up?
Sign Up as a Beta Tester →