Understanding how people use your app or website is very important if you want the user experience to be enjoyable and rewarding. The best way to test a product is by talking to users and watching them interact with your product. This is user testing, and it’s the most effective way to understand how your product will work as well as find solutions to user’s frustrations.
When you are conducting user testing, you want to collect as much information as you can to get a clear picture of what people really want. Users what to achieve an action whether it is downloading, buying or receiving information. If your product helps people achieve their goal, they will continue to use it, and they will recommend it to friends or co-workers. The basis of user testing is to help you understand how people use your product and for what purpose.
Before you start, you want to determine who should be invited to the user testing and what user flow do you want to test. It is important to have a script and prototype developed to be able to see what the user experiences.
Be sure to let the user know that they are being recorded and get permission to do so. Give clear instructions and explain what the product is. It is also important to make sure that the user understands there are no wrong answers, it is not a test for them. If anything goes wrong, it is the product’s fault, not theirs. Encourage them to speak out loud as they work through the tasks you have developed and watch closely.
User testing is a usability technique that helps you understanding the why and how a user is experiencing your product. The testing will help you better understand who the users are and what the goal is with your product. You may find problems you didn’t know existed or solutions to areas you were struggling. The bottom line is testing is crucial in developing the best product.
Holly Checchia 