Usability testing
The benefits
The insights gained from usability testing are essential for creating a truly user-centred website, software application or product. It allows the design team to look through the eyes of the user, identifying potential usability issues before release and allowing them to be corrected in a highly cost-effective manner.
How testing works
Image of user testing session.Based on task analysis, user profiling and your organisational or business objectives, we create realistic task scenarios for test subjects to follow. Pre-identified, measurable goals ensure you can see progress in usability across iterative testing and development cycles.
During the testing, each participant performs a series of tasks and 'thinks aloud' to describe their steps to reach the task goal. Our test facilitator observes and records the user's actions, thoughts and opinions with data logging software, and where necessary, asks questions to better understand the person's strategy and experience.
The testing can take place in our own modern usability testing lab or using our portable usability lab in a quiet office area at the client's site. We can also arrange remote monitoring of the usability tests if team members far away wish to observe via a secure connection over the web.
The results
Picture in picture user testing footage.Usability testing captures a rich picture of a customer's interactions with the system, from which many lessons can be learned. Results are available in a range of formats. A written report with annotated screen or product images describes all the usability problems identified during the tests along with recommended solutions and priority ratings. Videotapes from the testing can also be edited into a 'highlights' summary tape showing instances of key usability obstacles.
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