Usability Testing

Estimated Time: 30 minutes

Usability testing is a research method used to evaluate how well a product performs for its intended users. It usually involves observing users as they perform a series of tasks with a product prototype, and asking them to provide feedback on their experience. During usability tests, designers typically:

  • Record user's interactions with the prototype
  • Ask follow-up questions to gather feedback
  • Take notes on any issues or design problems that arise

You may recall usability testing as one of the common research techniques mentioned in the user research lessons covered in week 2. The goals of usability testing are to:

  • Identify any problems or issues that users may encounter when interacting with a product
  • Understand if the design is usable and intuitive enough for users to accomplish their goals
  • Gather feedback that can be used to improve the user experience

Benefits of Usability Testing

Usability testing helps to:

Identify design problems and issues that users may encounter: by observing users as they interact with the product, designers can identify areas where the user experience could be improved and make data-driven decisions to improve the product's design.

Gather feedback from real users: usability testing allows designers to gather feedback from real users, who can provide valuable insights into how a product will be used and how it can be improved.

Priorite design changes: by identifying the most significant design problems and issues, designers can prioritize changes that will have the greatest impact on the user experience.

Ensure that the product is user-centered: by focusing on the user's experience with the product, designers can ensure that the final product is user-centered and meets the needs of its intended audience.

Next, we'll explore what usability testing is, the difference between user testing and usability testing, how to conduct usability tests, and types of usability testing.

Usability Testing Quiz

Summary and Takeaways

From the video and reading, we learn:

  • User testing is the process of validating the demand for a product while usability testing is the process of evaluating whether users can achieve certain goals using a product prototype.
  • Usability tests can be carried out in a number of ways. They can be; moderated or unmoderated, remote or in-person and explorative or comparative.
  • Moderated usability tests are administered by a researcher/facilitator either in person or remotely using a conferencing tool like Zoom or Google Meet. Unmoderated usability tests are carried without a researcher/facilitator.
  • Explorative usability tests are open ended. Participants are asked to give their opinions or express emotional impressions.
  • Comparative usability tests involve asking users to pick which of the options presented to them they prefer.
  • Depending on your testing goals, you’ll need to carry out a mix of the different types of usability test. One option could be carrying out an exploratory, moderated, in-person usability test. Another could be carrying out a comparative, unmoderated, remote usability test.