A good user experience is key to any product or service's success. Usability testing helps designers and developers understand how users interact with their creations, identify problems, and make improvements based on real user behavior.
In this post, we'll look at ten different ways to test your product. But first, let's talk about the basics of testing.
Testing comes in different forms. Some types give you numbers and statistics. Others show you why users do what they do. Knowing which type to use helps you get the information you really need.
Let's walk through each testing method and see when to use them.
Understanding Usability Testing
Usability testing helps teams learn how real people use their products. By watching representative users interact with a product, teams can spot problems and make improvements.
Qualitative usability testing looks at why and how people use products. Through conversations, watching users, and group discussions, designers gain a clear picture of what works and what doesn't. This quantitative data helps them make better choices about design and features.
Remote usability testing lets users try products from home or work, making it easier and cheaper to run tests. Since users can participate from anywhere, teams get feedback from many different types of people.
User feedback shows designers what users think about their product - both good and bad. Whether through surveys, interviews, or watching users directly, this feedback shapes how the product evolves to serve user needs better.
Streamline usability testing and gather actionable feedback with Hubble
Conduct effortless usability tests with Hubble to refine your design iterations
Types of Usability Testing Formats
Usability testing comes in several forms. The main types are quantitative vs. qualitative testing, moderated vs. unmoderated testing, and remote vs. in-person testing. Each gives us different insights into how people use products.
Quantitative vs. qualitative usability testing
The choice between quantitative and qualitative usability testing depends on the project's goals and requirements.
- Quantitative usability testing collects measurable data like task completion rates, task times, or error rates. This data reveals patterns, trends, and statistical information about user behavior.
- Qualitative usability testing gathers non-numerical data. It shows the 'why' behind user behavior, offering context about users' motivations, feelings, and thoughts during interaction.
Both methods have distinct benefits and are often combined in a mixed methods research approach. This provides a more complete view of user behavior and attitudes.
A goal-driven data collection strategy helps determine the right mix of quantitative and qualitative data based on what you want to learn from the testing.
Most teams use both methods together to get a complete picture. The key is choosing the right mix based on what questions you need to answer.
Moderated vs. unmoderated usability testing
In moderated usability testing, someone guides users through the process. They can ask follow-up questions and dig deeper when something interesting happens. This works well when you want detailed feedback.
With unmoderated user testing, users try the product on their own. While you might miss some details, you can test with more people and get results faster, usually at a lower cost.
Remote vs. in-person usability testing
- Remote testing happens online. Users can participate from anywhere, making it cheaper and easier to include different types of users. You can do this with or without a moderator.
- In-person testing lets you watch users up close. You can see their expressions and body language, and ask questions right away. But you need a testing space and it costs more.
When choosing between remote unmoderated usability testing and in-person testing, think about your budget, who needs to participate, and what you're testing.
1. Lab Usability Testing
While remote testing works well for many projects, lab usability testing provides a controlled setting. Users visit a specific location to try out an interface while researchers watch. The controlled environment helps focus on how users interact with the product without outside distractions.
In-person usability testing is most common on hardware research, such as wearable products, VR devices, smart watches, and etc.
Researchers can observe users' reactions as they happen and get immediate insights into problems. Most labs include recording equipment to review sessions later.
Lab testing has some limits, though. Finding users who can come to your location can be harder, and you might miss out on feedback from users in different areas. It also costs more since you need a physical space.
2. Guerrilla Usability Testing
Guerrilla usability testing is a quick and simple method. Researchers visit public places like cafes or libraries and ask people to try their products. Users provide immediate feedback in their natural environment.
This method is particularly useful early in development when you want to quickly check if your design choices make sense to users.
3. Contextual Inquiry
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Contextual inquiry means watching and talking to people while they use your product in their own space - like their office or home. It's different from lab testing because you see how people actually work, not how they think they work.
When you visit users in their own environment, you often spot issues that wouldn't come up in a test lab. Someone might mention, "Oh, I always have to keep a notepad handy because this part is confusing" or you might notice they've created workarounds for problems they've never reported.
This method is especially good at showing you the messy reality of how people use your product. You'll see the interruptions, the system crashes, the sticky notes with passwords - all the real stuff that affects user experience.
This method works best for:
- Understanding how users work in real situations
- Making products that fit users' actual needs
- Finding problems in how users get their work done
4. Session Recordings
Session recordings let you watch how people use your product, similar to having a video of their screen. Unlike watching someone in person, you can replay these recordings as many times as you need.
When you record a session, you catch all the small details - where users pause, what they click on, and where they get stuck. You can share these recordings with your team and review them together to spot patterns or problems you might have missed the first time.
These recordings help fill in the gaps between what users tell you and what they actually do. Sometimes, the most interesting insights come from watching someone struggle with something they didn't even think to mention.
5. Tree Testing
While session recordings offer valuable insights into user behavior, another effective method for understanding user experiences, particularly in relation to website navigation, is tree testing. This usability testing method is a form of quantitative testing that evaluates how well users can find items in a given information architecture, thereby gauging the user-friendliness of a website or app's structure.
You ask users to find specific things using only the menu labels. For example, "Where would you go to change your password?" or "Find the return policy." As they click through the menus, you track which paths they take.
This tells you if your site's organization makes sense to users. You'll see where people get lost and which labels need to be clarified. It's a quick way to fix navigation problems before you spend time on design.
6. A/B Testing
How can one determine the most effective design or feature for a website or app? The answer lies in A/B usability testing. This form of quantitative usability testing focuses on comparing two versions of a single feature or design to determine which performs better. It is an effective method to gather data, improve user experience, and inform design decisions.
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A/B testing provides a data-driven approach to enhancing user experience. By testing variations with different user groups, one can gain insights into user preferences and behaviors. This method empowers businesses to make informed decisions that will ultimately lead to better engagement and satisfaction among users.
7. Card Sorting
Card sorting helps you figure out how to organize your website or app in a way that makes sense to users. You write different features, screens, or content pieces on cards and ask people to sort them into groups.
There are two ways to do this:
- Let people create their own groups and name them (open sorting)
- Give people pre-made groups and ask them to sort the cards into those (closed sorting)
For example, if you're building a fitness app, you might write features on cards like "track workout," "log meals," "view progress," and "set goals." You might find that while you grouped everything by activity type, users prefer organizing things by time of day or how often they use each feature.
Open sorting works well when you're starting fresh and want to see how people naturally think about your content. Closed sorting helps more when you already have a structure but want to make it better.
8. Eye Tracking
Eye tracking shows you exactly where people look on your screen. Special tools follow their eye movements as they use your website or app, creating a map of what they noticed and what they missed.
You might find out that users never see an important button because it's in the wrong spot, or that they spend too much time searching for basic information. Sometimes people's eyes jump around the page in ways you wouldn't expect, showing you problems other testing methods might miss.
It's important not just to understand what users are looking at, but why they are looking at it, thereby providing the critical context and depth to the data.
9. Surveys and Questionnaires
Surveys and questionnaires help you collect feedback from lots of users quickly. You can use them at any point—when you're just starting out, after making changes, or to check how your product is doing.
You can ask two main types of questions:
- Multiple choice or rating scales that give you numbers to analyze ("How satisfied are you with this feature?")
- Open questions that let users explain their thoughts ("What would make this feature more useful for you?")
By mixing both types, you get data you can measure, plus the stories and explanations behind those numbers. For example, you might learn that 70% of users struggle with a feature, and their written responses tell you exactly why.
10. 5-Second Test
Building on the concept of surveys and questionnaires as tools for gathering user feedback, the 5-Second Test offers a unique approach to capturing immediate user impressions. This method is part of the broader spectrum of types of usability testing. It is one of the qualitative testing methods aimed at understanding the initial impact of a design on a user.
In a 5-Second Test, participants are exposed to a design for five seconds and then asked to recall what they noticed or remembered. This method is effective in gauging the first impressions of users, which often form the basis of their overall experience. It is typically used to evaluate visual designs, branding, and key messaging on a webpage or app.
To run usability tests like the 5-Second Test, a facilitator presents a design to a participant for the set time. After the viewing period, the user is asked questions about what they remember. The responses provide valuable user feedback that can reveal elements of the design that catch immediate attention and those that may be overlooked.
The 5-Second Test is a swift and cost-effective way to gather feedback. Its focus on first impressions, unlike traditional usability tests, provides unique insights into the immediate impact of a design. This can be invaluable in optimizing designs to make an instant, positive impression on users.
Its simplicity and speed also make it a practical tool for iterative design processes, where quick feedback is essential for rapid improvements.
Benefits of Usability Testing in UX Design
Good usability testing shows you how people actually use your products. Testing with real users helps you build better products and avoid wasting time and money on features that don't work. Here's why testing matters:
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Key Benefits:
- Enhanced User Experience Quality: Testing shows you what users really do and need, not what you think they want. When you watch people use your product, you learn what works and what doesn't. This helps you build something people will actually want to use.
- Significant Cost Reduction: Finding problems early is cheaper than fixing them after launch. Testing rough ideas lets you catch big issues before you spend time building the wrong thing.
- Accelerated Development Process: Modern testing tools help you get feedback quickly. You can test ideas, make changes, and test again without long delays. This helps you improve your product faster.
- Minimized Risk of Design Failure: Regular testing catches problems before they become serious. You're less likely to launch something that users won't like or can't figure out how to use.
- Improved Customer Satisfaction and Loyalty: Products that work well make users happy. When people find your product easy to use, they're more likely to keep using it and tell others about it.
Choosing the Right Usability Testing Method
Different testing methods work better at different times. Here's what we've learned works well:
When you're just starting, try testing in person or doing quick tests in public places. In-person testing lets you ask questions and dig deeper when something interesting comes up. Quick public testing (like asking people in a coffee shop) helps you get fast feedback from all kinds of users.
For bigger products that are harder to figure out, having someone guide users through testing helps a lot. But if you need feedback from lots of people quickly and cheaply, letting users test on their own often works better.
Think about:
- What stage your product is in
- Your budget
- How much time you have
- What kind of feedback you really need
Best Practices for Conducting Usability Tests
Here's what works well when running usability tests:
- Start testing early: The sooner you test, the easier it is to fix problems. Testing rough ideas before building them saves time and money.
- Simulate Real Use Cases: Test in conditions that match how people will actually use your product. If you're making a mobile app, watch people use it on their phones, not just on a desktop.
- Encourage Verbal Feedback: Ask users to share their thoughts out loud as they work. This helps you understand what confuses them and why they make certain choices.
- Focus on Individual Testing: Working with users individually helps you see exactly how each person approaches tasks. You'll spot patterns in behavior and catch details you might miss in group sessions.
- Utilize Multivariate Testing: Sometimes, changing multiple things at once shows you how different parts of your design work together. Just be careful to track what changes lead to what results.
This kind of testing helps you build products that people actually want to use.
Want to make your usability testing easier? Try Hubble. Our platform helps teams run user research throughout product development. You can create prototype tests, find participants, and launch in-product surveys all in one place. Many product teams use Hubble to get user feedback from early concepts through to launch.
Streamline usability testing and gather actionable feedback with Hubble
Conduct effortless usability tests with Hubble to refine your design iterations
