Usability testing helps you see your website through the eyes of your target audience. By observing how real people interact with your site, you can gain valuable insights into their expectations, needs, and pain points. It’s no news that user behaviour and technology trends keep adapting. What once worked for your website might not in the future. That’s why it’s important to regularly test the usability of your website. In this blog post, you will learn how you can effectively improve the usability tests.
Types of usability testing
The usability testing method depends on the type of test you want to conduct. Mainly, they fall into these three categories:
1. Qualitative or quantitative
Qualitative testing focuses on understanding the “why” behind user behaviour. It gathers descriptive data through observation and explores how users feel and think while interacting with your product. Here’s what qualitative testing typically involves:
How it’s done?
Techniques like interviews, think-aloud protocols, and card-sorting exercises are used. Moderators may be present to guide users and ask open-ended questions to delve deeper into their thought processes and frustrations.
What’s in the data received with this method?
Qualitative data is rich and detailed, consisting of user quotes, body language observations, and insights into thought patterns.
How does it help?
It can help uncover underlying usability issues users might not even be aware of. It provides valuable insights into user motivations and thought processes. However, the results are subjective and can vary depending on the moderator and participants chosen.
Quantitative testing, on the other hand, focuses on measuring user performance and collecting numerical data. It aims to answer the “what” and “how much” questions. Here’s a breakdown of quantitative usability testing:
How it’s carried out?
Techniques like clickstream tracking, eye-tracking, and A/B testing are used. These methods collect measurable data on user behaviour without directly asking them questions.
What data is received employing this method?
Quantitative data consists of numbers and metrics like task completion rates, time spent on tasks, and error rates.
Qualitative testing is ideal for early design stages to understand user needs and identify any major usability problems. Quantitative testing is valuable for later stages to measure the effectiveness of design changes and identify areas for optimization.
In many cases, a combination of both qualitative and quantitative methods can provide the most comprehensive picture of user experience.
2. Moderated or unmoderated
Moderated and unmoderated testing are two approaches to conducting usability tests.
In moderated testing, a facilitator (moderator) guides participants through a set of tasks while observing their interactions with the interface. The moderator can ask clarifying questions, probe for deeper insights, and offer assistance if participants get stuck.
In this method participants of your target audience are selected. Then, a test script with tasks is developed that users need to complete. A discussion guide is also prepared with open ended questions. The test is carried out in a controlled environment like a usability tab. The moderator observes the user interactions, records it and asks questions throughout the session.
In this type of test user comments and frustrations expressed verbally are recorded as data. The data also includes non verbal cues like facial expressions and body language. All this allows for real-time probing and exploration of user behavior.
Whereas in unmoderated testing, participants complete the usability test independently, without a moderator present. They receive instructions and tasks through a pre-recorded video or on-screen guidance.
The process behind
In this method participants are recruited remotely through online platforms. A user friendly test interface with clear instructions and tasks is developed. Participants complete the test on their devices, then data is collected through call recordings, surveys, and built-in testing tools. If you want to check Free SEO tools too, Please Check these.
With this type of test, the following quantitative data is collected:
- Task completion rates and time spent on tasks.
- Clickstream data showing user navigation patterns.
- Answers to multiple-choice or Likert scale questions within the test.
This test helps in obeserving the users interacting with the interface in a more realistic way. The data gathered helps in measuring the effectiveness of design changes.
3. Remote or in-person
During In-person testing participants visit the lab and interact with the website on a provided computer and the researcher observes their behaviour. In this type of testing, it is check whether the participant can successfully complete the assigned tasks, how long it takes to complete them and how they interacted with the website including clicks, scrolling and mouse movements. This method is well-suited for complex websites or prototypes where detailed feedback is crucial.
Remote testing, on the other hand, allows participants to interact with the website from their own devices. Participants complete the test independently, following on-screen prompts or pre-recorded instructions. The software records the participant’s screen activity, clicks, and sometimes webcam footage (with consent). The data acquired through this testing is similar to in-person testing.
4. Guerilla testing
This type of user testing gathers feedback by showing the prototype to random people in a public place. It’s the cheapest and simplest way to test the new ideas. Plus, it takes less time in comparison to other types of testing. Sometimes, it can also be carried out through paper prototyping to create a properly functioning website prototype.
There is no need to recruit qualified participants to conduct Guerilla testing. This method can be employed during the early stage of development to determine whether the product will eventually be good.
5. Phone interviewing testing
In this usability test researcher will instruct the participant to do a task over the phone and later receive feedback about the test object. With the help of this kind of test, you can gather data from wider geographic areas and get a larger picture of the website’s potential problems. It’s common to use phone interviewing testing as a subsequent test to unmoderated remote testing, as it allows you to get to know the reason behind the decisions participants had taken during the test. Nevertheless, it’s crucial to employ properly trained moderators as the test may be performed by different participants with different languages.
6. Recording Session Testing
Recording session testing evaluates the actions of users when they use the website prototype. The recorded video can help the researchers understand how users interact with the website, whether it is a confusing experience for them, etc. The video basically records the actions of users such as mouse movements and clicks on the website.
How to Improve Your Website Usability Tests?
Be Clear About Your Goals
A successful usability test starts with a well-defined objective. You must clearly understand what you want to learn from observing users interact with your website. Here are some examples of clear goals:
1. A/B Testing a New Layout: You’ve redesigned your website’s homepage with a new layout and want to see if it performs better than the existing one. Your goal could be to measure user engagement (time spent on the page), clarity of navigation (how easily users find key information), or conversion rate (percentage of users who complete a desired action like signing up for a newsletter).
2. Evaluating the Effectiveness of a New Feature: You’ve implemented a new product filtering system on your e-commerce website. The goal might be to assess user understanding of the filtering options, ease of use, and overall satisfaction with the new feature.
3. Assessing User Understanding of Product Information: You suspect the product descriptions on your website might be confusing or lacking key details. Your goal could be to observe how users navigate product pages, understand product specifications, and identify any areas where the information needs improvement.
Choosing the Right Testing Method
Suppose you have a bakery business, and you get an online ordering website designed for it. Now, you want to conduct usability tests to see how easy it is for customers to order pastries and cakes. Here’s how resources can influence your choice of testing method:
When you choose In-Person Moderated Test
You will get rich data
That’s because a moderator can ask follow-up questions (“Why did you hesitate there?”), get deeper into user frustrations, and understand their thought processes.
It’s ideal for complex tasks
If your website’s ordering process involves customization or requires users to go through multiple pages, a moderator can guide and ensure users stay on track.
But there are some limitations!
Lack of Resources
Recruiting participants, scheduling sessions, and having a moderator present require significant time and potential financial investment.
It’s known to be less scalable
Testing with a limited number of participants due to logistical constraints.
If you choose a remote unmoderated test, you’ll get the following advantage:
Speed
The test can be conducted quickly without scheduling logistics. Participants can complete the test on their own time.
But,
There are some downsides as well, like
- Limited data: You rely on recordings and pre-determined questions, missing out on the opportunity to ask follow-up questions or probe user thought processes.
- Less control: You have less control over the testing environment – participants might be distracted or have technical difficulties.
So, which method is ideal for the bakery website?
If budget and time are tight, A remote unmoderated test might be sufficient to identify major usability issues like confusing navigation or a difficult checkout process.
However, if the ordering process involves customization or requires users to make specific choices, the richer data from an in-person moderated test might be more valuable. The moderator can delve into why users might hesitate at certain points or skip crucial steps.
Remember, the best method depends on your specific needs and resources.
So this is how you can choose the right testing method.
Create Realistic Task Scenarios
It means you must avoid including the tasks in the test that a user may not encounter; in simple words, do not be hypothetical. Instead, focus on replicating users’ specific goals when visiting your website.
For example, if you’re running an e-commerce site, avoid tasks like “Click on the ‘Products’ tab.” Instead, go for something like this, ” You need a new running shoe. Find one in your size (8) suitable for neutral pronation. Add it to your cart and checkout without creating an account.”
Make sure to be clear about your instructions. We have given 2 examples representing unclear and clear instruction; learn from them:
1. Unclear Instruction: “Find the ‘Contact Us’ page and use the form to send a message about a billing issue.”
2. Clear Instruction: “Imagine you’re having trouble with your recent bill. Describe the issue in a message and use the website’s contact form to send it to customer service.
Recruit the Right Users
Suppose you’re making a website for a local bakery specializing in gluten-free and vegan pastries. Here’s how you’d target the right audience for usability testing:
To understand who are your bakery’s ideal customers you might consider:
- People with gluten allergies or celiac disease
- Vegans or those following a plant-based diet
- Health-conscious individuals interested in alternative pastries
- People who live in the local area (if it’s a brick-and-mortar store with delivery options)
Based on these demographics, here’s where you might find participants:
- Online communities: Facebook groups for gluten-free/vegan diets or local foodies.
- Social media ads: Target ads on Facebook or Instagram to people with relevant interests.
- Website pop-up: If your bakery has an existing website, consider a pop-up asking existing customers if they’d be interested in participating in a usability test to improve the site for people with dietary restrictions.
Let’s see what would happen if you recruited the wrong participants:
Testing with people who have no dietary restrictions wouldn’t provide valuable insights for your gluten-free and vegan target audience. They might not understand the importance of highlighting allergen information or struggle to navigate because they wouldn’t typically search for those keywords.
Think beyond success/failure
Typically, usability tests track whether a user can complete a task or not (success/failure). But valuable insights lie beyond that binary. We should also observe how efficiently and intuitively they achieved it.
Why did we say so? Let’s explain to you with the help of two different scenarios:
| Success, but inefficient | Success, but unintuitive |
|---|---|
| The user finds the chair after a long search. They browsed numerous categories, clicked through several pages of irrelevant products, and finally stumbled upon the blue ergonomic chair. | The user locates the chair, but their thought process is unclear. They might have used the search bar with vague terms (“comfy chair”) or gotten lucky by randomly clicking through categories. |
What insights do we gain from the above examples?
By observing beyond success/failure, we can identify problems like:
- Information is poorly organized: Users struggle to find what they’re looking for despite the item existing on the website.
- Unclear labelling or categorization: Product categories or filter options might be confusing, leading users down irrelevant paths.
By addressing these issues will improve the user experience, you will make categories more specific and user-friendly and give users a visual path of where they are within the website structure.
At last, Find Patterns and Prioritize Improvements
This stage is crucial for turning the raw data from your usability tests into actionable insights. After the tests, you analyze recordings and user feedback. You might notice a recurring pattern: Many users struggle to find the “Contact Us” page. This indicates an issue with the website’s navigation.