Usability Testing

One of the most important things we do is test our work on real users. Preferably, we start this at a very early stage (e.g. during a Design Sprint) and continue to do this structurally, included within the Scrum planning of an ongoing project. Often we test every 2 sprints (every 4 weeks).

In a usability test, we invite representative users for the project. They try to perform a set of tasks that we have devised and prototyped in advance. We interview, observe, listen and take notes. A usability test only makes sense if there is also time afterwards for adjustments, both in design and development. And every usability test results in another set of adjustments, always for the better.

To conduct a usability test properly, a number of things are needed. A prototype, a test-device, a script, a viewing room, a recording setup and stuff to take enough notes. We do the preliminary work and bring needed gear. We provide an interviewer, who is objective but has sufficient knowledge of the product. Someone from us observes and we always motivate people on the customer side to come and observe as well. Multiple observers always see more than 1.

In our experience, the greatest insights are found with 4 to 8 test subjects. With this number, the most common issues can be identified. Usability testing is qualitative testing and more participants often give more of the same results, which is a waste of resources. It is important that participants come from the right target group and have no prior knowledge of the product.