Usability testing: why it is necessary and how to do it right

More than 48% of users consider good design to be an indicator of the reliability of a business, and according to Google, it takes only 1.7 seconds for a person to form a first opinion about an interface. Therefore, usability testing becomes an integral part in the development of a website, mobile application, and any other software product.

By definition, usability testing is an assessment of the convenience of the project for the end user. In fact, it enables developers and marketers to look at the product through the eyes of the end user in order to assess its compliance with human expectations and identify problem areas in the interface.

To obtain reliable results, usability testing of a site or application must be performed according to a specific plan. There are six main stages of the research.

Step 1. Determination of goals

Each test should have a purpose, so the first step is to determine what exactly will be tested. For example, the goal might be:

• Testing the speed of task completion. Checking whether a person can perform a target action using a software product, and how many actions he needs to perform for this.
• Navigation testing. Checking the convenience of moving the user between different sections of the project, and the correct operation of buttons and links.
• GUI testing. GUI check.
• Error detection. Identification of bugs in the interface and analysis of their impact on user behavior.

Step 2. Choosing a usability testing method

Most often, usability testing is carried out using the black box method – when the project is analyzed only from the user’s point of view, without using knowledge about the internal structure of the software product. There are several common ways to conduct tests:

• Remote testing. Such testing can be carried out by respondents at home or at the workplace, without the participation of a moderator.
• Face-to-face testing. It is carried out according to a specific scenario. In this case, the respondent and the moderator are in the same room, and discuss issues directly in the process of conducting the study.
• A/B testing. Respondents are offered two options for the software product, from which they choose the most convenient for themselves.
• Eye tracking. Special software analyzes where the user is looking while interacting with the software product. This allows you to determine the most optimal location of specific blocks.

Step 3. Selection of respondents

Developers, designers and marketers who are deeply familiar with the product often cannot objectively evaluate the convenience of the interface. Therefore, to conduct usability tests, testers or focus groups of outsiders who see the interface for the first time are involved.

Also, to obtain reliable results, it is worth giving preference to respondents who are the target audience of the software product, or are similar to future real users in terms of the main characteristics:

• age;
• floor;
• place of residence;
• the level of education;
• technical training;
• field of activity;
• income level.

Step 4. Create a test script

The test scenario is the task that the respondents will perform as part of the survey. In order to receive correct and objective feedback, we recommend that you refuse detailed instructions, as they may affect the result. It’s better to give users a problem, such as ordering a specific product, and give them free rein with the interface.

Tasks can be of two types:

• open – make it possible to observe how respondents interact with the interface;
• closed – suitable for testing specific functions of the software product.

Both approaches are valuable for usability testing, and can be used in sequence for the most detailed examination.

Step 5. Conducting a test

If face-to-face testing is carried out, before the start of the study, a dialogue should be held with each respondent and the purpose and goals of the test should be explained.

It is important to let the person understand that it is not his personal skills that are being tested, but the convenience of the interface. At the same time, we recommend avoiding the use of professional terminology and leading questions that may further affect the result.

Step 6. Result Analysis

Based on the results of testing, you can determine the strengths of the project, the general wishes of users and problems that need to be addressed.

Further, the identified bugs are grouped according to their relationship, and their rating is compiled on a scale:

• Critical errors. Non-working features of the software product that prevented users from completing the test script.
• Serious mistakes. Problems that can have a decisive impact on the user experience, and because of which he may terminate the session. For example, if a link takes longer than 10-15 seconds to open, a person can simply close the tab and go to a competitor’s site.
• Minor errors. Issues that do not have a global impact on the use case of the product, but fixing which will improve the user experience of the visitor.

This rating will help you prioritize bug fixes.

Each product developed in AVADA-MEDIA goes through a full cycle of usability testing, thanks to which your customers will enjoy a reliable and user-friendly interface that does not need any modifications immediately after the release.