Usability testing
In a few words (5 min read)
Usability Testing
Key information about usability testing from Mozilla Open Innovation Toolkit. It includes a checklist of materials you need for in-person usability testing, detailed steps how to conduct it and suggestions of further reads.
Step by step (5–30 min read)
Usability 101: Introduction to Usability
Introduction to Usability 101 from Jacob Nielsen is a good intro to all the newbies to the subject. For more experienced practitioners — the author suggests it as a resource to share with your boss or non-designer colleagues. It will help put an end to the confusion between user research, usability and UX.
Why You Only Need to Test with 5 Users
More is not always better, especially in usability tests. Jacob Nielsen explains the research behind the famous rule that testing with 5 users will help you discovers 85% of usability problems.
Deep dive (30 min — few hours read)
Remote User Research & Usability Methods
Your end-users may be located anywhere in the world. Remote usability tests will help test your product with them. No wonder they are surpassing in popularity in-lab usability tests. But how to organize them to make it work for your project? This is where this article can help. The author walks you through the whole process analyzing everything from research method to in-and-outs of remote recruitment, she even reviews popular usability testing software.
Do-It-Yourself Usability Testing with Steve Krug
If you work in UX design there is a big chance you read his bestseller “Don’t make me think”. Steve Krug is also an author of a popular book about usability testing “Rocket Surgery Made Easy”, which is the basis of this presentation on Do-It-Yourself Usability Testing recorded during UX New Zeland. My only complain would be that video quality is not amazing as is often the case with conferences.
A Field Guide To Usability Testing
Smashing Magazine is known for its quality UX content. Unlike most of their resources, this e-book is not free, but the low price ($5) still makes it very accessible in-depth guide to usability testing. In 85 pages you get: set of tips to increase conversion, advice how to run multivariate testing, review of usability testing tools and guide to A/B testing.
Tools
TryMyUI
It is a great solution for quick, affordable, unmoderated remote usability testing. Results consist of 20-minute video recorded from the user’s screen, with real-time narration captured via microphone. Unfortunately, if you need more advanced features like SUS Surveys, statistics for task duration or you want to download the recordings you need to upgrade to the premium version.
Loop11
nother good solution for remote usability software for unmoderated tests. Loop11 also includes detailed quantitative insights: SUS survey, time on task, click analysis and page counts. They recently launched an option to add it to your website without any code. Free 15-days trial available.
UserTesting
Comprehensive research platform with an established position in the industry. As a result, you get real-time feedback on your websites, mobile apps, and prototypes. As an individual designer, you can run up to 15 video sessions per year for $49 each.
5 second test
5 seconds test of user’s first impression. The product can be used to test homepage designs, landing pages, logos and marketing materials.
User Zoom
If you are a part of a bigger design team with plenty of different research needs User Zoom maybe for you as self-proclaimed “All-in-One UX Research Platform For Your Enterprise.” Their ambition is catering to all research needs from persona creation, participant recruitment to online usability testing.
Lookback
User research platform that helps efficiently conduct remote moderated and unmoderated usability tests as well in-person lab testing. You can tests prototypes, apps and websites while recording user’s face, screen and voice. Comes with a set of user-facing apps for Chrome, iOS, and Android, that make the whole process easier — especially for unmoderated user testing.
Morae
Favorite for in-lab user testing Morae software captures all types of inputs: audio, on-screen activity, keyboard and mouse movements and helps analyz them. The product consists of 3 components: Recorder (for gathering data), Observer (notetaking and collecting insights) and Manager (analyze and visualize results). Great product with two downsides: lack of Mac version and the hefty price tag.
