Usability testing reveals how real users interact with your product. Find issues before launch, validate designs, and continually improve. This guide presents how to conduct effective testing.
What is Usability Testing
Definition
Observe real users using the product to complete tasks.
Purpose
Find usability problems and validate solutions.
Difference from Other Surveys
Observação de uso, não opinião.
Why Test
Find Problems
Before they cost too much to fix.
Validate Decisions
Does design work in practice?
Empathy
Understand the user's perspective.
Data
Evidence to support change.
Test Types
Moderated
Facilitator present, guides the session.
Unmoderated
User alone, software registers.
###Remote
Online, remotely.
In-Person
Presencial, mesmo espaço.
Exploratory
Discover how they use it.
Comparative
Compare versions.
When to Test
###Discovery
Understand current problems.
Design
Validate prototypes.
Development
Test during build.
Post-Launch
Continuous improvement.
Planning
Objectives
What do you want to learn?
Research Questions
Questions to answer.
Tasks
What you will ask to do.
Metrics
Task success, tempo, erros.
Participants
Who to recruit.
Recruitment
Profile
Representative of the real user.
Quantity
5 users encounter 85% of problems.
Screener
Qualification questionnaire.
Incentives
Compensation for time.
Sources
Customers, UserTesting, social networks.
Creating Tasks
Realistic
Scenarios that users would do.
Sem Dicas
Do not reveal the answer in the question.
Specific
Clear objective.
Prioritization
5-8 tasks per session.
Conducting the Session
###Setup
Quiet environment, working technology.
Introduction
Explain purpose, not design.
ThinkAloud
Ask to verbalize thoughts.
Don't Help
Resist giving tips.
Please note
Behavior, not just results.
Follow-Up
Pergunte por que.
Metrics
Task Success
Did you complete the task?
Time on Task
How long did it take.
Error Rate
How many mistakes you made.
SUS Score
System Usability Scale.
Satisfaction
How it felt.
Analysis
Notes
During or immediately after session.
###Patterns
What is repeated between participants.
Severity
Severity of the problems.
Recommendations
Proposed solutions.
###Report
Document with findings.
Severity of Problems
Critical
Impede tarefa. Correct immediately.
Major
It makes it significantly more difficult.
Minor
It bothers but doesn't stop.
Cosmetic
Aesthetic preference.
Tools
###UserTesting
Remote unmoderated testing.
Lookback
Gravação de sessões.
###Maze
Test on prototypes.
Zoom
For remote moderated sessions.
NOTE
Local recording.
Unmoderated Tests
Advantages
Scale, cost, speed.
Disadvantages
Less depth, no follow-up.
When to Use
Quantitative validation, volume.
Tools
UserTesting, UsabilityHub, Maze.
Communicating Results
Highlight Reel
Videos of the main problems.
###Report
Documento estruturado.
Presentation
For stakeholders.
Prioritization
What to fix first.
Common Errors
Few Participants
1-2 is not enough.
Leading Questions
Induce response.
Help Too Much
Reveal solution.
Do Not Record
Missing important details.
Ignore Findings
Test and do not act.
Continuous Testing
Cadence
Regularly, not just once.
Integration
Part of the design process.
Backlog
List of problems to fix.
Conclusion
Usability testing is an investment that prevents costly errors. Test early, test often and act on findings. The result is products that users can use.
##FAQs
1) How many users do I need? 5 encounter most problems. More for quantitative validation.
2) Test with prototype or real product? Both work. Prototype allows you to test before code.
3) Moderated or unmoderated? Moderated for depth, unmoderated for scale.
4) How long per session? 30-60 minutos é comum.
5) How to convince stakeholders to test? Show problem videos. Visual evidence convinces.