The only way to make a mobile app or website user-centered is to focus on the user early and throughout the design process. You must consider the application’s target users during several key points during design.
Validating your design is one of the most critical points of the process. Usability testing is an industry standard for validating websites and mobile applications along with other types of software. Companies that leverage usability testing are generally benefited by the process and are able to utilize the knowledge they gain to make their products more user-friendly.
Usability testing during early stages can produce big results without having to expend a great deal of cost to make alterations.
Keep in mind that you should not wait until the end of the design process to start doing usability testing. In the early stages of design it is easy to edit and change your design so testing during early stages can produce big results without having to expend a great deal of cost to make alterations.
Plan your test
Before getting started, you should carefully plan what you want to test. Determine which assumptions you want to validate, how many people you will have participate in the test, where you will conduct the test, etc. The more carefully you plan all these items, the more effective your testing will be.
Start by determining what it is you will be measuring.
Consider that there are two types of metrics to measure, qualitative and quantitative. Both can give you valuable information. Quantitative metric includes data such as time taken on complete a task, number of clicks, etc. You can think of quantitative metrics as factual data generally based on time or numbers. Qualitative data is much different in that it tends to be allegorical evidence based on users’ satisfaction and or their impression of a design or process.
Generally, usability testing will focus heavily on the qualitative information but don’t forget that you will need the quantitative information that will allow you to base decisions on facts.
What is the objective of your plan? Once you determine what you will be testing you need to put together a plan for how you will be testing it. What is the process? How will you best be able to gather the information that will be useful in making decisions?
Who will you include in your testing? You have to be careful that the people you test match the personas of future users to be able to gather relevant data.
Performing the test
Testing can be of any duration, but we have found testing periods under a half hour are responded to most favorably by test subjects. Make sure you are not frustrating the test subjects by using up too much of their time.
While working with your test subject, make sure they feel comfortable. Interact with them in a friendly way. We generally do this by informing them that we are not testing them but testing our design, this takes the pressure off them and frees them up to give you useful information.
How you moderate the test is important. Be careful not to guide or bias the user. When you are conducting the usability test you are an observer who should not impact results. Pay attention to the test subject. We typically ask to share their thoughts throughout the process, giving us great insight into how they view the solution to tasks. If a certain design is cumbersome or confusing, you want them to let you know so you can correct it.
Take the time to carefully observe them completing tasks. If they have a hard time completing a task it lets you know that your design needs additional work to streamline the process.
Analyze and report
Once you have completed your testing it is time to analyze the data and arrive at conclusions.
Approach this phase with a keen eye on usability. Don’t think like a designer and don’t focus on the design, rather, approach this part by looking at the user’s goals. Were they satisfied? Did they have an easy time completing tasks? Did you give them what they wanted? Be empathetic towards your user and their needs.
Make sure you have noted metrics such as success rate, user satisfaction and user frustration for the various tasks so you are able to figure out where design changes are necessary. In your report, make sure you prioritize the findings. Focus on observed behavior and not what you think.
Keep your report short, avoiding overly long descriptions. Make sure you include positive findings as well as areas that need to be adjusted. Include the feelings of your test subjects and don’t focus solely on negative comments, only pointing out flaws.
Concrete quantitative data, along with qualitative data, will make your report more effective. The why will add a great deal to your analysis. Make sure you include quotes from your test subjects.
Image: Jan-Willem Reusink (Flikr) http://bit.ly/2OP8GIm