Introducing the Power of Usability Testing

Introducing the Power of Usability Testing

#Usabilitytesting is one of the most important aspects of website design and development. By conducting usability tests, you can determine how well your website is performing for your users and find ways to improve their experience. In this blog post, we will discuss the basics and explain the importance of usability testing.

What is Usability Testing?

User experience experts often talk about the importance of usability testing, but what does that actually mean? In a nutshell, usability testing is a process of assessing how easy it is for users to interact with a website or app. Different tests can be used, but the most common are moderated and unmoderated tests. In a moderated test, a researcher works with a small group of users to observe their interactions with the site. An unmoderated test, on the other hand, is typically conducted online with a larger number of users.

Ultimately, usability testing helps to improve the user experience by identifying areas that need improvement. So next time you find yourself getting frustrated with a website, remember that usability testing could be the reason why!

Why is Usability Testing important?

One of the benefits of Usability Testing is that it allows for feedback at an early stage in the product lifecycle that is unbiased and not invested in the product. Whereas designers expect everyone else to understand instinctively what they were trying to achieve, in reality users will often have difficulty using even the most user-friendly products. Never a truer word has been spoken:

“Software designers are simply too close to their product”

And what was true in 1982 (Design Guidelines by 苹果 Computer) is still true today - which is why it is imperative to test the product on users and not designers. This is where Usability Testing comes in — by putting the product in front of real users and seeing how they interact with it, designers can get valuable feedback that can be used to make improvements and make the product more user-friendly. In short, Usability Testing is an essential tool for any software designer who wants to create a successful product.

A case study: McDonalds

When it comes to fast food, 麦当劳 ’s is one of the biggest names in the game. So, when they announced that they were piloting a new?mobile ordering app, the entire world took notice. Of course, with any new software, there are always going to be some bugs. That’s why it was so important for McDonald’s to test the app with real customers before rolling it out globally.

McDonald’s is one of the world’s largest fast-food restaurant chains, with a staggering?62 million daily customers. Yet, McDonald’s was late to embrace the mobile revolution as their smartphone app launched rather recently — in August 2015. In comparison, Starbucks’ smartphone app was already a booming success and accounted for?20%?of its’ overall revenue in 2015.

By doing so, they were able to identify any issues and make necessary changes. Not to mention, they also got a better understanding of their customers’ needs and how to best meet them. In the end, all of this testing paid off and resulted in an app that was much more user-friendly. As anyone in the software development industry will tell you, usability testing is essential for creating a successful product. And that’s something that McDonald’s knows all too well.

How to set up Usability Tests

There are many Usability Test Platform options available, so it’s important to research each one before making your decision. For example, some platforms offer web-based testing tools that allow users to interact with and navigate through your website as if they were using an actual browser. Other platforms provide access to a range of user feedback and analytics data which can help you better understand how people are using your website and where improvements may be needed. We have listed out Top 5 Platsforms for Usability Testing below:

1. Crazyegg

Crazyegg is a click-based user experience tool with four main features:

• ‘Heatmap’ logs where each visitor clicks on your webpage.
• ‘Scrollmap’ shows how far down the page each visitor typically scrolls.
• ‘Overlay’ breaks down the number of clicks on each page element.
• ‘Confetti’ provides detailed insights about visitor sources, search terms, and other components.

Every user is offered a free 30-day trial, with no obligation to take out a paid subscription. However, these are affordable, starting at $9 per month.

2. ?Optimizely

Optimizely is an extremely user-friendly?A/B testing?platform, which allows users to track visits and conversions. The tool offers an impressive range of features, including:

• Mobile website testing
• Cross-browser testing
• Visitor segmentation
• Geotargeting
• Multivariate testing

The basic plan is absolutely free although some features are only available on the paid-for enterprise plan.

3.?Five Second Test

Run by Lyssna , Fivesecondtest is the ultimate in budget?usability testing. Designed to capture a visitor’s first impression of a site, each test takes five seconds to run. The process is very simple, and consists of three steps:

• Upload a screenshot or page mock-up, with a simple question about the design or functionality.
• Each tester has five seconds to look at your page, before answering the question.
• UsabilityHub collates the responses.

Paid plans start from $20 per month. However, budget-conscious entrepreneurs can earn free responses by completing tests for other people.

4.?Qualaroo

Qualaroo prompts site visitors to answer targeted questions and surveys in real-time, helping webmasters to?craft the perfect usability. There are many features and settings available, including:

• Exit surveys, to discover why site visitors don’t convert
• Skip logic, which analyses a visitor’s response before targeting them with a tailored follow-up question
• Integration with other tools, such as Salesforce and Marketo

When compared with the other tools on this list, Qualaroo’s basic $63 per month package is relatively expensive. However, savvy CEOs can take advantage of the free 14-day trial.

5.?UserFeel

Many usability testing tools are designed primarily for English-language websites. However, Userfeel offers thorough usability testing in a wide range of languages. Other features include:

• Fast results, usually delivered within 24 hours
• Written responses to set questions
• Video footage of a tester using your website, with voice-over commentary
• Mouse movement tracking

UserFeel charges a reasonable $39 per usability test, and recommends running between 3 and 5 tests for best results. The company also offers a 90-day money back guarantee for dissatisfied customers.

When setting up your usability tests, there are several key factors that you should consider. Firstly, decide who will be included in your test group; this might include members of different demographics or even existing customers. Secondly, define how you will measure success; this could include the completion rate of tasks, user satisfaction surveys or customer feedback forms. Finally, determine how long each test should last and create a timeline for when results will be released.

Once your usability tests are up and running, make sure to keep track of data and analyze it regularly in order to identify any areas where improvements can be made. This is an ongoing process that requires constant monitoring and iteration to ensure that your website remains as user-friendly as possible.