Usability Testing: The Impact of Audience and Research Outcomes
Usability Testing is a method for evaluating the usability of a product or interface, aimed at collecting objective information about how effectively users can interact with the product.
Usability Testing is a method for evaluating the usability of a product or interface, aimed at collecting objective information about how effectively users can interact with the product and how satisfied they are with this process. This approach requires direct observations and interactions with real users who represent the target audience.
The process may involve the following stages:
Task Definition
Defining clear tasks for users to perform using the product. These tasks should be realistic and reflect real-world usage scenarios of the product.Participant Recruitment
Searching and selecting potential participants who match the target audience of the product. Recruitment may include users with different levels of experience and professional expertise.Conducting the Testing
During the testing, participants attempt to perform tasks using the product. Researchers observe their activities, record their thoughts, and capture their impressions throughout the interaction.Data Collection
Collecting objective data on participants' efficiency, effectiveness, and satisfaction during their interaction with the product, based on defined criteria and expected outcomes.Results Analysis
Interpreting the gathered data to identify patterns, issues, and opportunities for product improvement.Examples of testing categories include
Navigation: Checking how easily and naturally users can find and navigate between different pages, functions, or sections of the product.
Devices and Platforms: Assessing how well the product adapts to various devices (computers, smartphones, tablets) and platforms (Windows, iOS, Android, etc.).
Functionality: Testing different product features, their functionality, and user-friendliness.
Interaction and Intuitiveness: Evaluating the clarity and intuitiveness of interface elements for users.
Time Metrics: Measuring the time users take to complete specific tasks and the number of errors they make during testing.
These are just some examples, as there are numerous other aspects that can undergo testing depending on the product type, target audience, and needs.
What to pay attention to and when to conduct usability testing?
Broadly, for conducting usability testing, you only need "cats" on which we will demonstrate the product's capabilities. Overall, depending on the "capabilities" and desired testing results, I recommend using three options:
Nielsen's Heuristics
The good old 10 heuristics that help conduct a (relatively) quick interface analysis and understand how well it corresponds to reality and simplicity for users.
General Usability Guidelines
These guidelines can be found in NN/g, and their main focus is on checking the interface against primary parameters such as adaptability, ease of achieving goals, and so on.
Cognitive Biases (Distortions)
This is a bit more complex, as the focus shifts not to pinpoint perception but to the interaction zone, where we process the user's relationship with the whole feature.
When should you conduct usability testing?
Developing a New Product or Feature
When your team is working on a new product or making significant changes to an existing one. Testing will help ensure that the interface facilitates easy and understandable interaction with users. For example, while creating a new mobile application, it's essential to determine if users achieve their goals, find necessary features, and understand their initial impressions of the interface.
Interface Changes
When making changes to the design or interface of a product. For instance, if your company decides to rearrange buttons in its web application, usability testing with interviews can reveal which changes will make the interaction process easier or, conversely, complicate it for users.
Identifying Issues in the Product
If your product is already on the market and users are complaining about specific issues or there are suspicions regarding interface inconveniences. Usability testing helps systematically identify, document, and resolve these issues. For example, through interviews, you can find out why users struggle to find certain functions in your mobile app.
It's essential to remember that testing is a cyclical process, and you can't just sit down and solve all user problems. Even in a utopian world where users are happy and understand what to do, testing becomes a kind of benchmark where we check the pulse.
Usability Testing and User Testing - What's the Difference?
User Testing
The process of testing a product with real users to check if it meets their needs, expectations, and requirements. This type of testing involves actual users who represent the target audience of the product.
Main Goal: To determine how well the product aligns with users' needs and requirements.
When developing a new mobile application for photography, we gather feedback from photographers who frequently use mobile devices for their work.
Participants are given access to a prototype of the application and are asked to perform specific tasks. During testing, they can express their impressions and provide suggestions regarding functionality, design, etc., but the central focus is on achieving goals and resolving pain points.
Usability Testing
Usability testing is a research method aimed at evaluating the effectiveness and convenience of user interactions with a product, including assessing ease of use, goal achievement efficiency, user satisfaction, and comfort. This type of testing can involve not only the target audience but also working with various user groups.
Main Goal: To assess product areas regarding possible distortions in the process and user perceptions.
During the development of a new online service for e-learning courses, the team conducts usability testing to evaluate the convenience of the interface and navigation.
Participants in this test can be students with varying levels of technical proficiency and experience using similar platforms. During the testing, observers monitor how easily participants find courses, how quickly they can register for them, and make payments. The overall impression and user experience are also evaluated, which helps identify potential issues and improve the interface for better interaction with the students.
Conducting Interviews and Surveys
To start, globally, there are two types of surveys:
Open-ended: We ask questions like "tell us about," where respondents are offered the opportunity to give a comprehensive answer. The main issue here is respondent fatigue and the search for the "correct" answer. It is recommended to ask no more than 5-7 open-ended questions.
Closed-ended: Here, we need specific information limited to necessary conditions. Questions like "choose the correct answer" or "rate the convenience from 100 to 500" fall under this category.
There is a belief that there should be no more than 12-15 questions, as respondent fatigue becomes noticeable beyond that point. I can recommend aiming for a potential dialogue, especially for moderated surveys, where it is crucial not to impose your own opinion and focus on the respondent's motivation.
Establishing a connection with participants:
The first step in conducting an interview is to establish a friendly and trusting relationship with the participants. Users should feel comfortable and at ease so that they can openly share their thoughts and impressions about the product. Researchers can use various techniques to improve communication, such as warm-up questions, shared stories, or prompts.
Gathering necessary information about participants:
For a better understanding and analysis of results, it is essential to gather additional information about the participants, such as their level of experience with the product or similar interfaces, previous impressions, expectations from the product, etc. This information helps understand how participants perceive the product and how their experiences influence their interaction with it.
Key principles for conducting effective interviews:
To achieve the most objective results during interviews, researchers should adhere to some principles:
Active listening: Listen attentively to the participants, taking notes of their comments, observations, and reactions.
Clarifying questions: Ask clarifying questions to help understand the details or reasons behind certain participant responses.
Inquisitiveness: Be curious and ask additional questions to uncover more information about participants' thoughts and experiences. However, avoid leading with these questions, as any question can influence the testing process and evaluations.
Sequence and Additional Tips
Define the Purpose and Target Audience
Before starting Usability Testing, clearly define the purpose and the user group. Understand which aspects of interaction and experience you want to evaluate.
Focus on Key Interaction Scenarios
Concentrate on key interaction scenarios that define the primary actions users perform in your product. Create tasks that cover these scenarios and help gather information about the product's effectiveness and convenience. For example, for a social media platform, a task could involve finding and adding a new friend (adaptation, time, flow).
Choose the Testing Method
Determine the testing method that suits you best. It could be lab testing, remote testing, or contextual testing in real usage conditions. For instance, Google often uses remote, unmoderated testing, where users test their products independently on their own devices at home.
Observe and Record Results
Observe participants during the testing, recording their actions and reactions. Utilize various tools like video recording, notes, and questionnaires to collect information. For example, Apple records all actions and reactions during testing for further analysis.
Analyze the Results
Prepare a report with the testing results, containing identifiers of problematic areas and specific recommendations for product improvement. For instance, Amazon involves a large number of users for testing and employs retrospective analyses to identify key issues and optimization opportunities.
Implement Changes
Continuously refine the design and functionality, ensuring maximum convenience for users. Even when things are "good enough," usability testing can be used to set benchmarks. For example, Microsoft conducts usability testing during the development of new updates to make its products more efficient and user-friendly. It continues evaluating decisions even after the process is complete.
Ongoing Testing
Usability Testing is a process that should be conducted regularly. Continuously involve new users, conduct additional testing after making changes, and never settle for the status quo. Only through this approach can you guarantee that your product remains aligned with users' needs and expectations.
Conclusion
It is essential to note that Usability Testing is just one of the stages in product development. While this research method helps identify many issues, it cannot guarantee the resolution of all possible shortcomings. Additionally, the results of testing can vary depending on the chosen target audience and the scope of the study.
In general, Usability Testing is a comprehensive category that allows the identification of a whole range of research areas. It is not advisable to draw rigid boundaries between different types of testing; everything should be considered in context. When seeking solutions, try to analyze the results, and it will always become clear what actions are worth taking and what outcomes to expect.