What is Usability Testing?

Short Answer:

Usability Testing is a way to see how easy to use something is by testing it with real users. Users are asked to complete tasks, typically while they are being observed by a researcher, to see where they encounter problems and experience confusion. If more people encounter similar problems, recommendations will be made to overcome these usability issues.

Long Answer:

Usability Testing is a method used to evaluate how easy a website is to use. The tests take place with real users to measure how ‘usable’ or ‘intuitive’ a website is and how easy it is for users to reach their goals.

The key difference between usability testing and traditional testing (bug testing, acceptance testing etc.) is that usability testing takes place with actual users or customers of the product. Whilst traditional testing might be undertaken by a developer, designer or project manager, usability testing removes any bias by collecting feedback direct from the end user.

There are a few different types of usability testing or reasons to conduct usability research:

Comparative Usability Testing
Used to compare the usability of one website with another. Comparative tests are commonly used to compare a website against peer or competitor sites, however it can also be used to compare two designs to establish which provides the best user experience.

Explorative Usability Testing
Before a new product is released, explorative usability testing can establish what content and functionality a new product should include to meet the needs of its users. Users test a range of different websites where they are given realistic scenarios to complete which helps to highlight any gaps in the market that can be taken advantage of and illustrate where to focus design effort. Explorative usability testing normally takes place as part of a User Requirements Capture exercise.

Usability Evaluation
This is a test of a new or updated website either pre or post-launch. This usability test introduces users to the new design to ensure it is intuitive to use and provides a positive user experience. The aim of the usability evaluation is to ensure any potential issues are highlighted and fixed before the product is launched.

Advantages

There are many advantages of usability testing including:

feedback direct from the target audience to focus the project team
internal debates can be resolved by testing the issue to see how users react to the different options being discussed
issues and potential problems are highlighted before the product is launched

The business advantages of usability testing can be seen at the end of the project:

it increases the likelihood of usage and repeat usage
it minimises the risk of the product failing
users are better able to reach their goals, which results in the business meeting its targets

Disadvantages

Usability testing provides many benefits, but there are a few disadvantages in using this methodology, which should be noted. Firstly, testing is not 100% representative of the real life scenario, e.g. a mother will not have her two young children running around like she might have at home. Also, usability testing is mainly qualitative, so does not provide the large samples of feedback that a questionnaire might, but the feedback can be far more accurate and insightful.

Conclusion

Usability Testing can be used in a variety of ways during your project lifecycle. Despite not being able to mimic real life usage, usability testing is still the best method of ensuring your website supports users in achieving their goals quickly and easily. When businesses meet the needs and expectations of their users, they are more likely to develop a successful product.

Find out more about our Usability Testing service.

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