5 important steps while conducting usability testing?

The friction points in the user experience can be quickly discovered by the usability testing method. With just a small group of users, approximately 85% of the usability problems can be determined, making usability testing an integral and easy part of the testing process. The time taken to conduct usability testing is also less and upon that valuable insights are provided about the product’s experience. In this article, you will get to know about the five important steps required for conducting usability testing.

What is Usability testing?

It is a testing method that measures the user-friendliness of a software application. Usability defects are discovered by a small group of end-users. Post-testing, user feedback is obtained to evaluate the usability of an application, taking into consideration the design of the application also. The application’s ability to meet its objectives and the application’s flexibility to handle controls are also measured by this testing method.

Following are the five steps that are involved in conducting usability testing:

1. Obtain relevant information: Before the research study is designed, all the background requirements and information need to be gathered accordingly. Coordinate with stakeholders to ascertain:

• The project goals
• Timelines and budget
• Capture the specific metrics
• Different user types/personas need to be included
• The experience of user’s goals

1. The scripts and user tasks need to be crafted: Based on the testing goals, choose the specific tasks that need to be completed by the participants. Some of the example tasks are "check out" or "add something to the shopping cart." Once the tasks have been decided, a script needs to be written that will be used to facilitate the testing process. The user tasks should be framed as goals and the user should not be led to the answer by providing specific language.
2. The participants should be recruited: Based on the background information that has been gathered about the personas or the user types, screener criteria need to be created for the participants. The example for screener criteria include demographics such as income, gender and age as well as asking specific questions such as "do you buy/sell anything from the social media platform.?"
3. The usability testing should be facilitated: By taking the script into consideration, the user should be led through the tasks. Full attention needs to be given to the user, so that follow-up questions can be asked. If possible, note-taking activity can be carried out during the session. If the user is unclear about any aspect of testing, then ask pertinent questions so that their queries can be solved. Some of the key points that need to be pondered upon to gain insights about users are:

• The user’s expectation when they clicked upon a certain button
• The specific page is in line with user’s expectations or not
• Anything that does not make sense or isn’t clear should be known
• Any aspect that the user likes about the process
• Something similar has been seen the users on other applications or websites.

5. The results need to be analyzed: The findings need to be analyzed and proper research needs to be done. A research report can be prepared based on the audience. Following are a few key points that need to be taken into consideration:

• A summary of the project metrics, goals and background
• Specific points that were taken into consideration while conducting the study (type and number of participants, how it was facilitated, the tasks that have been involved and the metrics that have been captured)
• The study results. This can be a visual of the quotes, video clips, metrics etc.
• Based on the research, the recommended changes that need to be done

To make sure that the research is carried out promptly, the next steps should be provided so that the stakeholders know how to take it forward.

Conclusion: If you are looking forward to implementing usability testing for your specific project, then do get connected with a professionally acclaimed software testing services company that will provide you with a methodical testing roadmap that is in line with your project specific requirements.

About the author: I am a technical content writer focused on writing technology specific articles. I strive to provide well-researched information on the leading market savvy technologies.

I am a technical content writer focused on writing technology specific articles. I strive to provide well-researched information on the leading market savvy technologies.