Usability testing - what is it? Methods, examples & types

What is usability testing?

Usability testing is about getting real people to use your product and gathering their feedback so that you find the best way to further develop your application. Depending on the type of usability testing, the session may be guided by a facilitator and run remotely or in person.

The primary goal of usability testing is to include the perspective of the end-user in the design process. Different usability testing methods help businesses in delivering relevant, user-friendly products that people enjoy using. They identify UX frictions, spot improvement points, and help teams learn more about user preferences and behavior.

Usability testing goes hand in hand with the indispensable principles of agile development and should be a part of each iterative product development process.

3 types of usability testing

User testing starts with setting clear research objectives, defining the target audience, and identifying the available resources. Based on this information, you should be ready to decide on the type of usability testing that best suits your needs.

1. Qualitative vs. quantitative usability testing

Qualitative usability testing studies how people use the product to identify usability frictions and areas for improvement. Researchers observe participants interacting with design elements and then ask them questions. Qualitative data consists of observational findings and user quotes that describe designs as easy or hard to use, as well as details such as how the user tried to complete a certain task, or where they clicked.

Quantitative usability testing identifies usability frictions (based on numeric metrics such as the number of errors, or task-completion time) or reflects users’ perceptions of usability (e.g. based on a satisfaction rating). Quantitative data requires a reference point to be interpreted. It’s a good source of information when you want to compare a part of your design with its previous version or with an industry benchmark.

Even though qualitative and quantitative usability testing serve different goals, they are complementary methods that can supplement each other and together provide a more complete overview of the research topic.

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2. Moderated vs. unmoderated usability testing

Moderated usability testing requires a person to guide the participants through the test details, support them in case they need it, and ask follow-up questions. The facilitator can be present in person or do all those things remotely, always in real-time.

Unmoderated usability testing is done without any direct guidance from the research team. It’s significantly cheaper than moderated testing but doesn’t allow for follow-up questions or in-depth behavioral observations.

3. Remote vs. in-person usability testing

The difference between remote and in-person user tests refers only to the location of the participant. Do not mistake it with moderated and unmoderated tests, as a facilitator can connect with the participant via zoom, dedicated research tools, or even a voice call.

Remote usability tests are more popular because they usually take less time and money than in-person studies. Also, they’re easier to carry out, as they don’t require travel by participants.

Usability testing methods and examples

Now that we’re familiar with the usability testing types, let’s dive into the practical side of things – usability testing methods and examples.

Lab usability testing

Lab usability testing requires a special environment (a laboratory), where moderators guide users through tasks, answer their inquiries, gather feedback, and ask follow-up questions. It collects in-depth information about how real users interact with the product and what frictions they encounter. On the other hand, lab UX tests tend to be expensive, come with a lot of logistics, and place participants in a controlled environment that is different from the natural use context, thus increasing the risk of creating non-realistic user behavior.

• Type: qualitative / moderated / in-person
• Example: checking how people (try to) complete tasks

Observation

Observation is a little similar to lab usability testing, but in this case, the moderator doesn’t guide the participant. Instructions are handed to the users on a piece of paper or a device. The facilitator steps in only if participants have additional questions or are stuck. Otherwise, they just observe what people do, their body language and facial expressions, and take relevant notes.

• Type: qualitative / unmoderated / in-person
• Example: checking how people (try to) complete tasks

Unmoderated remote usability testing

In unmoderated remote usability tests, an application provides instructions to participants, records their actions, and asks them predetermined follow-up questions. It’s quick, inexpensive, and large-scale, however, it offers less detailed testing results.

• Type: quantitative / unmoderated / remote
• Example: testing a hypothesis about user behavior

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Card sorting

For card sorting, you need to place features, design elements, or content on cards. Participants categorize the cards and then talk with the moderator whose goal is to understand their reasoning. It’s relatively easy compared to other usability testing methods and helps prioritize content or organize features as part of the user interface.

• Type: qualitative / moderated / remote or in-person
• Example: defining the labels for a website’s main pages

Phone interview

In a phone interview, a facilitator verbally instructs participants to complete tasks on their devices and collects user feedback. It’s an efficient way of collecting feedback from users located in different cities, countries, or continents. It may feel more natural for some users as it doesn’t involve a camera, nor does it require direct interaction.

• Type: qualitative / moderated / remote
• Example: getting feedback about a new feature from real users of a B2B application

A/B testing

A/B testing is about displaying different versions of the design to users to see which option is most effective. It’s a powerful tool for conversion optimization, widely used in UX design and marketing. This type of evaluation requires numerous responses to be valid. Some UX practitioners consider A/B testing to be a user testing method, while others argue that it’s a separate research technique aimed at improving completion of KPIs, such as increasing conversion rate or ROI.

The importance of usability testing

Nothing beats observing how users interact with a product or service in real life. Different methods and usability testing examples can be applied depending on the project stage and your research goals. When carried out at an early stage of the digital product design process, usability testing reveals problems when they’re easy and cheap to fix. In the case of mature products, it helps to identify their flaws, see how successful users are with their tasks, and make well-informed decisions about further product development.