Ever used an app that was actually fun to use? The user interface felt calming, and everything was easy to navigate. All the tasks perform within seconds and you don’t have to wait too long. Sounds like the dream app, right? The only way to attain this is through usability testing. If you’re in the tech industry, usability testing will be an important part of your work. However, if you’re a business, usability testing will be an important part of your brand! 70% of online companies have had a downfall due to bad usability. Delivering the best is essential.
To be able to get the best out of usability tests, you should be able to understand them. So, in this guide, we’ll tell you about usability testing. We’ll also explain how it’s done and how it’ll benefit you.
What is usability testing?
Usability testing is as simple as its name. It’s testing… for usability. But what exactly is usability? It’s about how easy it is to access something and use it. So, generally, usability testing helps you test how easily users can use your software. This involves checking the design and load times of the UI. Moreover, it looks at how well the tasks perform. The easier and smoother the usability, the better the UI and UX.
What’s the purpose of usability testing?
Well, it shows you how efficiently users can interact with your product. Let’s see how you can benefit from it:
- It helps see navigation challenges. Visually, things may seem fine, but some features can be frustrating to use. Usability testing will show you.
- It can help reduce errors. This is because you’ll be able to see how long it takes for tasks to load.
- Fixing usability before a product’s launch is around 10 times cheaper than fixing it after.
- Usability tests involve real users. This means you get valuable opinions before launch. It confirms your software’s worth.
- Companies that deliver good user experiences tend to get a 200 to 400% increase in conversions. How do you provide a good UX? Through the usability testing process!
Is usability testing worth the effort?
53% of the time, mobile users leave a page that takes more than 3 secs to load. One of these mobile users could be a valuable customer. Losing such a client can result in a major loss. 34% of clients make unplanned purchases after they experience personalized content on a site.
Through good usability testing, you can attain these benefits. The usability testing process is 100% worth the effort when you look at the stats.
What are the types of usability tests?
Usability testing seems simple. However, this isn’t the case. Here are the different types of usability tests:
Moderated vs unmoderated
Moderated usability testing is where a trained guide helps participants step by step. The participants are the people you’ll select to test your software. The guide follows a plan that gives instructions. It supports the users as they complete the test.
Unmoderated tests are very similar to moderated tests. The only difference in these types of usability tests is the guide. In unmoderated usability tests, users can test the software however they want. They see your test and then submit the results of their free use.
Quantitative vs qualitative
Qualitative testing is focused on the users. It gathers the participant’s experiences and emotions. This is while they are interacting with your product. This is a deep method to learn specific emotional user needs. However, this is difficult and time-consuming.
Quantitative testing focuses on gathering numerical data. It also concerns your users more. It allows you to collect and analyze metrics. This includes satisfaction rate, A/B testing, etc. This isn’t that time-consuming or difficult.
In-person vs remote
In-person usability testing is done in a face-to-face environment. This means the researcher and participant would be in the same room. The biggest advantage is that in-person testing allows the tester to see non-verbal cues. Both parties can communicate with each other and understand body language, too.
Any types of usability tests without the tester present are remote usability tests. Remote testing is more common. This is because it allows businesses to test their software with a broad audience. It also makes live website testing and prototype testing easier.
How to conduct usability testing?
Conducting usability tests can be a time-consuming process. However, it can be very beneficial when done right. These are the steps for how to conduct usability testing:
Define your goals
When creating software, you probably had a target audience in mind. What were the features you had in mind for it? So, when testing, define the goals you have for these tests. This begins with understanding your users. This will help you decide what age group you need for your tests.
Note down tasks and questions for your users
After determining the age group and demographics of your users, create a test. What will your testing users do? In the prototype testing phase or the live website testing phase, it’s essential to create a test. This will help the users understand what to do with your software.
Collect your testing users
You’ve spent time prototyping and designing your app. It must’ve taken hours. But you still don’t know its actual worth till you test them with users. You need to gather users who are as similar as possible to your intended ones. Use your website as a platform to allow users to test your app!
Conduct the usability testing
Usability testing is meant to feel like an interactive conversation. It isn’t meant to be a strict interrogation. Invite your users and let them naturally follow your directions to test your software. A/B testing can further help in this.
Go through the results
After you have the raw data, begin by organizing it. It will look much better and get easier to analyze. You’ll be able to see user pain points and prioritize proper UX adjustments. It will show you the potential for improvement.
Improve and iterate
Based on the insights you gather from your results; it’s time to improve. The goal of usability testing is to make the UI and navigability as simple but as creative as possible. After this, conduct your tests again. Positive feedback will show you that you’ve accomplished it!
Benefits of conducting usability testing
You’ve probably realized how beneficial usability testing can be for your software. Yet, we’ve made some final points to show you:
Better design decisions
You can make better design choices by observing how real users interact with your product. This will help you enhance the user experience. Usability testing helps identify areas that may be confusing or difficult to use. You may not even realize this until you conduct a usability test. This will allow you to refine the design for better functionality and user satisfaction.
Early problem detection
Finding issues before launch is much better than after. Early in the development stage will help save time, effort, and money. Usability testing helps spot usability flaws, bugs, or navigation issues. This will prevent costly bug fixes later on. This proactive approach leads to a smoother and more polished final product.
Get a new opinion
Developers and designers can become too familiar with their own products. This makes it difficult to see potential problems. Usability testing brings in fresh perspectives from real users. It provides valuable insights.
Confirm that your product meets user expectations
Products must align with user needs to be successful. Usability testing ensures that your software is navigational and functional. Moreover, it also ensures that it’s enjoyable to use. By testing with real users, you can confirm that your product gives the experience they expect.
Competitive advantage
A product that is easy to use and well-designed stands out from the competition. Usability testing helps refine your product to offer a smooth experience. This makes it more attractive to users and increases client satisfaction. This gives your business a beneficial edge in the market.
It’s even possible that your testing users like your project so much that you already get a fan base before your product’s launch. That’s an unspoken benefit, too.
Conclusion
Usability testing may seem like a small process. However, it plays a big role. Even if it’s a little time-consuming and demands effort, it can save you from loss later on. 88% of users are less likely to return to a website or app after an awful user experience. Aim to give them better so they keep returning.
At Linkitsoft, we do our best to conduct usability and other tests for our clients. No matter if it’s a website, app, or other software. From developing and designing to testing and launching, we’re here to be with you every step of the way.
Contact our reliable software testing company today. Don’t skip usability tests for your software! Get in contact with us and allow us to save you the time and effort that goes into testing usability. Let your app shine with us!
