To get the most out of every usability test and make the biggest impact on your designs, it’s essential to learn the fundamentals of usability testing. At Perfetti Media, we’ve helped dozens of companies and agencies bring usability testing into their processes. In the latest episode of UX Ideas, we share the six essential steps for successful usability tests. If you’re just starting out with usability tests, we’ll share with you proven tips from our years of testing experience.
Watch the video presentation: UX Ideas, Episode 5: Usability Testing in a Nutshell: The Six Steps for Success
February 3rd, 2010 at 4:08 pm
Hi Christine,
Thank you so much for sharing this amazing video and other resources. Would you say that is better if the Designer is not the person who’s conducting the tests? I find very hard for me to have a “neutral” positioning when testing, since I’m trying to evaluate functionalities and also design of the product.
Thanks Again!
February 3rd, 2010 at 8:07 pm
Hi Vivian,
Great question. I sometimes find that the designers of a product can be so invested in the existing design approach, that they risk being biased (or less neutral) when facilitating the test. So, whenever possible, I suggest that the designers observe the tests while someone else facilitates. The person facilitating may be a usability professional on the team or another team member familiar with the usability testing process.
Having said that, as a designer, if your only option is to facilitate your own tests, I would go ahead and do so. In my experience, any testing is better than no testing at all. I expect, as you start facilitating the tests, you’ll be surprised by how much you can learn from observing the users. While it’s more of a challenge to facilitate the tests as a designer, you can still gather a ton of invaluable data.
Christine