Understanding Usability Testing: Key Concepts
You know how you sometimes get lost in the maze of a new website and think, âWho designed this. â Thatâs where usability testing comes in. Itâs about making sure your website or app is likely easy to use and doesnât leave people scratching their heads. The way I see it, the goal is to make everything so intuitive that users glide through without any hiccups.
Usability testing is like having someone take your creation for a spin and point out where it could be better. Youâre basically watching how people interact with your product and gathering insights on what works and what needs fixing. It's not about judging or criticising but figuring out how to make things smoother for everyone. It can be a bit daunting to watch someone struggle with something youâve worked hard on, but itâs necessary if you want to improve.
The main ideas here are comparatively efficiency, effectiveness, and satisfaction. Efficiency is all about getting tasks done quickly, while effectiveness is about getting them done right.
The way I see it, satisfaction is probably the most important one because if people arenât happy using your product, they probably wonât come back. These three concepts go hand in hand when it comes to usability testing. At its core, usability testing is all about making things better for users.
More or less. It helps identify areas that need improvement and provides valuable feedback on what works and what doesnât. And letâs be honest, we could all use a little help figuring out where we can seemingly do better sometimes.
The Importance of Testing Protocols in Design
Ever stared at a gorgeous outfit and thought, âThis just isnât working for meâ and couldnât quite put your finger on what was wrong. Yeah, me too. Sometimes the piece looks good in isolation, but you put it on and it pinches, slips, or even makes you break into hives. The road to that moment is littered with design choices that have probably bypassed usability protocols.
In fashion, testing protocols ensure design ideas are viable from fabric to fit to colour. Testing for usability helps iron out mistakes early on so things donât fall apart later on in the manufacturing process. Imagine using an abrasive textile for swimwear or selecting something flammable for kidsâ clothing.
It seems like these are design choices that go through strict testing protocols because people's health is at stake. In luxury wear, ergonomics matter - particularly footwear.
If a high-heeled shoe looks fabulous but canât sustain walking in, itâll tank sales and brand image faster than you can say ârunway disasterâ. Testing has also become a way of reflecting on our privilege in the design world. Why did so many skin-tone textiles not factor in darker skin. Sure, we want our final products to be stunning but these protocols actually help us connect with our customerâs humanity.
Real people wear our clothes and shoes. Like that time I attended an all-day event in shoes Iâd only tried on for a few minutes before buying them. I ended up bleeding into my stilettos that day because they were simply not designed to factor in usability and real peopleâs body shapes. To ignore testing protocols is to simply prioritise aesthetics over function which alienates a fair amount of your audience off the bat.
When youâre regularly testing prototypes as part of your business culture it improves everything from your brand image to your cost margins by eliminating guesswork altogether and saving everyone from that awkward moment where something just doesnât work for someone else because of their skin colour or foot size.
Protocol 1: User Interviews and Surveys
A bunch of white males in a lab, all wearing white coats and goggles, sit around a table and decide on the formula for. Wait for it⌠makeup. I mean, hasnât this always been the case.
The beauty industry has always put out what âthey thinkâ is the best version of âusâ. But who better to ask about beauty products than the women they were actually meant for. With the cosmetic industry booming, and so many brands out there selling similar products, itâs important to get right to the heart of things.
Or faces, if you will. So who exactly are you making your product for. And how do you know if itâs even going to sell. With all that money pouring into branding, advertising and more â itâs important to know your customer base.
And the only way youâre going to get to know them is by talking to them. But in my experience â not many brands are making that effort.
There are so many different ways to collect information from your intended customer base â through one-on-one interviews or surveys. You can find out what people are looking for; what they currently use and even what they would want to see in newer products.
Interviews can be done with open ended questions â giving you a glimpse into their lives beyond skincare. Surveys can be simple multiple choice ones. With information like this at their fingertips, brands can fill in gaps that their competitors have left open. This could be something as minute as shade ranges or packaging or even unique chemical formulations that set you apart from the rest.
Protocol 2: A/B Testing for Optimal Choices
Flipping a coin is fine if youâre sharing the last piece of cake, but not when deciding on a design for your new website. If youâre settling arguments with a co-worker, or worse, having a three-hour meeting thatâs basically just loud opinions and feelings about colours, it might be time to try some A/B testing instead. A/B testing is fairly straightforward, and the best thing about it is that it takes the pressure off having to make final decisions based on nothing but vibes.
You can test your first design against another. You can see which performs better with users by looking at the clicks, sign ups or purchases - whatever metric youâre going for.
Like putting together two menus and serving them at different dinner parties before deciding which one will work at your restaurantâs new launch. The problem with designs is that you often develop strong feelings about what youâve made. And as much as none of us like to admit it - being too close to something makes us blind to our own mistakes. Or how we think people will use what weâve designed and how they actually do are almost always different.
This is why so many portfolios have more than one version of a website because what was initially signed off went through so many iterations it barely resembles the first one. Once upon a time I thought A/B testing was just more work for clients who didnât know what they wanted but Iâm reformed now. I see why itâs important to get evidence before signing off on big design decisions so that if something doesnât take off - thereâs no finger-pointing later.
Itâs also a great way to track what works for users - so future releases are even better than your current offering.
Protocol 3: Usability Heuristic Evaluation
Have you ever bought an expensive outfit, only to discover that the zipper keeps snagging or the buttons refuse to close properly. The same thing can probably happen with digital products, sometimes. No matter how beautiful or expensive something may appear to be, whether it is useful in your life or not makes all the difference. To create products people love using, a heuristic evaluation is an invaluable tool to make sure no detail is missed and every aspect feels intuitive.
As part of our seven protocol process for usability, a heuristic evaluation checks whether your product follows usability best practices. Itâs based on a framework of ten heuristics created by acclaimed UX researcher and expert Jakob Nielsen. They range from simple ideas like giving users freedom and control, to more nuanced actions like consistency across elements. You can use this process at any stage of design and development to gather important insights into how usable your product is.
But itâs most effective after user testing has been conducted, so you have previous observations to refer back to. It usually involves about three to six evaluators who go through your product and write down their findings based on the heuristics framework. The more seasoned the evaluator, the more valuable their insights will be.
Itâs also helpful if they have knowledge about different platforms and devices because each comes with their own unique challenges and requirements. Youâll get a detailed report at the end of these sessions that takes a holistic look at your product and identifies places where it can be made better. This way nothing gets missed or overlooked and you know you are delivering the best possible experience for your users.
Protocol 4: Remote Usability Testing Techniques
Have you ever wondered how we can test our digital products without meeting users in person. Well, remote usability testing comes to the rescue. It's a way to reach people from different places who might not be able to come to a physical location.
There's always this hesitation that I have where it feels weird to not meet people face-to-face, but I've also learnt that there are allegedly benefits of remote usability testing. It saves time and money, and it's flexible. We can choose from different types like moderated (where we facilitate the test) or unmoderated (where participants complete tasks at their own pace). We can use various tools for these tests, such as video conferencing platforms or software with screen-sharing features.
More or less. But here's the thing: there are some challenges too, like tech issues. Sometimes, participants struggle with the tools or have poor internet connections.
It seems like this is why it's important for us to provide clear instructions and support. Remote usability testing gives us access to a wider pool of participants from diverse backgrounds. This makes our findings more comprehensive and helps us design digital products that meet the needs of everyone involved.