Usability Testing &
Remote Usability Testing
Usability testing is a technique used to evaluate a product by testing it on users. This can be seen as an irreplaceable usability practice, since it gives direct input on how real users use the system.
– Wikipedia
In layman's terms, what this means is we sit people down in front of your website, and watch to see what happens.
Well okay, it's clearly a little more complicated than that, but you get the general idea.
We give the 'test subjects' several objectives for them to try to achieve on your site, and we observe them closely as they fumble around from page to page.
By running the usability tests diligently, it quickly becomes apparent where your users are becoming stuck. And where your users are stuck or feeling frustrated, it could be having a big effect on your bottom line.
Making your website much easier to use will decrease your support costs and increase your users' satisfaction, both of which will put much more money into your piggy bank every day.
Now you may be wondering, "Why aren't these issues obvious to me or anyone else in my company?" And if you are thinking that, it's because you're just too close to your website. You've looked at it and used it over and over again. You're overly familiar with it; in fact, you may have even had a hand in its current design. What this means is that you automatically and inadvertently bypass the little quirks of your website that may stop a first time user in their tracks.
You've heard of the phrase 'a fresh pair of eyes'? Well, this is exactly what you need: a fresh pair of eyes showing and telling you what it's really like to use your website for the very first time, and what's not working. (This aside, human behaviour is usually far more unpredictable and irrational than we like to think it is. Having tested websites for years, I've lost count of the number of times I've seen test subjects and users interact with a website in completely surprising ways.)
So, when we've finished the test-stage of usability testing, we then look at how to fix the problems with your website that were revealed by the tests. Sometimes the ways in which to do this are obvious. On other occasions, you need to run more usability tests to ensure you've helped your users, not hindered them, with the changes you've made.
Now, running all of these usability tests. Isn't that going to be expensive?
Yes, it can be.
Some high-end agencies will charge in the tens of thousands for these services, as they conduct usability tests in their own tricked out usability labs, with all the latest recording hardware, big screen TVs and plush leather chairs (not that I'm adverse to a comfy chair myself, mind you).
But there is another way. Remote usability testing.
Remote usability testing has become one of the more popular choices of late for conducting usability tests.
In effect, remote usability testing is the exact same process as 'normal' usability testing, except that instead of dragging people off the street into our secret lab, we let them use the website being tested in their own home or place of work.
Besides the cost savings of this approach, it's arguably a more reliable process. After all, real users are interacting with websites at home or at work, not in artifical laboratory conditions, with intrusive technology and equipment in their personal space.
With remote usability testing, and the magic of screen sharing technology, we record users' every move through the website and record their voice and their commentary, as they think-aloud their thoughts.
Remote usability testing has 3 advantages over traditional usability testing:
- Cost / Charge and Price to you.
- Cost / Charge and Price to you.
- And lastly, users are performing the test in the comfort of their own home, using their own computer, sitting in their own comfy chair. As I mentioned, this produces authentic responses as it more closely replicates how real customers use your website.
With the benefits of remote usability testing, you can run usability tests regularly as an ongoing program of continuous improvement for your website.
Being quick to run and incredibly economical, the returns on remote usability tests are high.
It's a no brainer really.
Sorry, what's that you say? Why yes, I do actually offer remote usability testing! Let me tell you all about it. Just click on the button below...
