5 Benefits of Usability Testing | Standard Beagle

by Amanda White

Why is usability testing important?

How many times have you been to a website and thought, “Why can’t I find what I am looking for?”, or, “I really wish I could order online from this website instead of having to call in.” These are common and oftentimes frustrating issues we all experience when using a product. This is one reason why usability testing comes into play and why it is so critical to product success.

We should ultimately be designing for the end-user and not for ourselves as designers nor for what the client thinks the user wants. This is a mistake often made by many due to a lack of research, budget, or time. User experience design and usability testing have become increasingly important for the success of a website, application, or product because its design is based on actual user needs rather than assumptions.

Usability testing allows the design and development teams to find problems before they are found by the end-user. The earlier these bugs are found and then fixed, the less expensive it is for the client and it will ensure a smoother process once the website is launched or a new phase of that build is released.

Usability testing provides better user experiences and increases conversion

There is a great deal that stands between the user and the actual conversion of that customer, so creating the most friendly user experience possible is a major factor in converting those users. If we want to lead the user in a specific direction, we need to make it easy for them to choose that direction. Usability testing can tell you how long it takes a user to complete a key task. If there are too many steps, or if the task is too difficult to complete, there is a good chance a user will bounce in order to find another product.

An engaging interface is another important element when it comes to user experience. A product’s interface provides the initial, gut reaction a user has to the product. According to ConversionXL “It takes about 50 milliseconds for users to form an opinion about your website which determines whether they like your product or not and whether they’ll stay or leave.” From testing users, product opinions can be uncovered and iterations can be made to improve user perception.

Saves times for both the company and the end-user

Usability testing can identify bugs early on in the process, which ultimately saves development time. When a company decides to skip user testing, issues are either overlooked or can surface after the product is already being developed. Fixing issues during development are expensive and time-consuming.

Yet, if a user experience designer catches an issue early on, it is much easier for them to iterate on the current design and test again to ensure improvement. It is more cost-effective to test the prototype, then improve the product based on user feedback. Implementing user testing early in the process can not only save your team time but can ultimately save your company money. Early on testing also allows for decisions based on fact, rather than assumption, which ultimately improves the experience for the user.

Usability testing creates a better product

When testing is integrated as an ongoing process throughout the design phase, building the product will be more streamlined. The more usability testing you do, the better grasp you will have on how your users think and how you can give them what they want and need.

Common problems that can be avoided by usability testing:

• Common errors on the page
• Grammar and spelling errors within the content
• Inconsistent branding message
• Poor design layout
• Potential user errors
• Ineffective tasks that require too much user effort

The five benefits of usability testing:

1. Finding out if users are able to complete the tasks at hand successfully without any issues
2. The amount of time it takes to complete specific tasks
3. Identifying user satisfaction scale
4. Discovering changes to improve user performance and enjoyment
5. Evaluate the performance to see if it meets your usability goals

Key components of successful usability testing

Remember, usability testing consists of real-world scenarios, and the test moderator should replicate how the product would actually be used. You also want to make sure that the user can go through the tasks without help because you want to see how a user would truly react in the product’s live environment.

User testing should always be worked into a project scope to ensure a successful website or application. To learn more about usability testing, visit the websites listed in resources below for some great tips/tricks, as well as evidence to back up the importance of testing for success.

Originally published at https://standardbeagle.com on May 11, 2020.