How do you design a usability test plan for an e-commerce shopping cart?

1 Define your goals

The first step is to define what you want to achieve with your usability test. What are the main questions or hypotheses you want to test? What are the key performance indicators (KPIs) or metrics you want to measure? For example, you might want to test whether your shopping cart reduces cart abandonment, increases conversion rates, or enhances customer satisfaction. You should also specify the scope and limitations of your test, such as the features, functions, or scenarios you want to focus on.

2 Choose your methods

The next step is to choose the methods and tools you will use to conduct your usability test. There are different types of usability tests, such as moderated or unmoderated, remote or in-person, qualitative or quantitative, or a combination of them. You should select the methods that best suit your goals, resources, and budget. For example, you might want to use a moderated remote test to observe how users interact with your shopping cart in real time, or an unmoderated quantitative test to collect data from a large sample of users using an online tool.

3 Recruit your participants

The third step is to recruit the participants who will take part in your usability test. You should select participants who represent your target audience or customer segments, and who have different levels of experience and familiarity with your product or service. You should also decide how many participants you need, depending on the type and complexity of your test. For example, you might want to recruit 5-10 participants for a moderated qualitative test, or 50-100 participants for an unmoderated quantitative test.

4 Prepare your tasks and scenarios

The fourth step is to prepare the tasks and scenarios that you will ask your participants to perform using your shopping cart. The tasks and scenarios should be realistic, relevant, and challenging, but not too difficult or confusing. They should also cover the main features and functions of your shopping cart, as well as the different stages of the shopping journey, such as browsing, adding, removing, editing, reviewing, checking out, and paying. For example, you might ask your participants to buy a specific item, apply a coupon code, change the shipping method, or cancel the order.

5 Conduct your test

The fifth step is to conduct your test according to your chosen methods and tools. You should ensure that you have a clear and consistent procedure for instructing, guiding, and communicating with your participants, as well as recording, collecting, and storing the data and feedback from your test. You should also be prepared to deal with any technical issues, errors, or unexpected situations that might occur during your test. For example, you might use a video conferencing software to conduct a moderated remote test, or a usability testing platform to conduct an unmoderated online test.

6 Analyze and report your results

The final step is to analyze and report the results of your usability test. You should use appropriate methods and tools to process, organize, and visualize the data and feedback from your test, and to identify the patterns, trends, and insights that answer your questions or hypotheses. You should also create a report that summarizes your findings, conclusions, and recommendations for improving your shopping cart. For example, you might use a spreadsheet software to analyze the quantitative data, or a coding software to analyze the qualitative feedback.

7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?