User testing for apps and websites
User testing to find out what your users really think
Benefits of user testing
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User testing reveals your users’ main pain points
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It helps you confirm whether users can complete key tasks
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User testing gives you a fresh, unbiased perspective
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It eliminates unnecessary development costs
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User testing helps reduce future customer support costs
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User testing allows us to create an exceptional experience
Why usability testing?
You may absolutely love your app, or believe your website will win over all your visitors, but the truth is, what you think, and what we think doesn’t really matter! What’s important is what your users think, and the only way to find out is to ask them. We rely on usability testing rather than assumptions and get the feedback we need to create a user-friendly experience that your customers will really love!
The phases of user testing
Recruiting participants for user testing
We can validate the user experience of your app or website at various stages of its lifecycle. Whether you want a user’s perspective on a prototype of your app, or their thoughts on a change made to your website, user testing can help you get an objective opinion on your user experience. Users never fail to surprise us, so we like to conduct user testing on a frequent basis to keep our assumptions in check. But first, we need to find the right test users.
When user testing websites and apps, the rule of thumb for meaningful feedback is getting 5 test users to participate. Any more than 5, and the participants tend to report the same pain points; any fewer, and the feedback is not sufficient to be conclusive. When recruiting test users, we select participants from a pool of volunteers that match your target personas. Sometimes we even use a few of your real customers, but it depends on what’s being tested, and the specific requirements of the test. Once we’ve selected the perfect participants we communicate with them to schedule their test.
Remote user reviews
We use remote user reviews to test your app or website on users across the globe. As the name suggests, these reviews are conducted remotely (this means that the test user and the researcher don’t have to be in the same place). They are also done asynchronously, meaning that the test user and the researcher don’t need to interact in real time; the researcher prepares the test, and then sends the instructions to the test user to complete at a time that suits them.
During a remote user review, we give test users a number of tasks to complete. We then ask them to speak their thoughts out loud as they tackle the tasks. This gives us great insight into what they are thinking during each step. Test users are also asked to record their faces and screens; their facial expressions paint a fuller picture of their thoughts as they’re user testing your website or app. We also evaluate their actions on the screen to identify any problematic areas of the user experience. But it’s not all negative; remote user reviews also highlight the things that users love about your product. Positive feedback is important too, as it helps us to design the kind of interactions that will make for a delightful user experience.
General impressions review
As part of the remote user review, we ask test users to describe what they think of your app or website. First impressions matter, so we encourage users to describe their thoughts as soon as the first screen loads. You’ll be surprised how insightful a passing comment can be; it can sometimes even lead to a complete UX overhaul!
To dig a bit deeper into what test users really think of your product, we give them a list of questions to answer. The questions mainly focus on their opinion of the design and user experience of the interface. We keep the questions open-ended to encourage users to expand on their thoughts. Sometimes we get feedback about things that we’d never have thought to ask! This is so valuable when it comes to crushing assumptions. The trick to user testing your website or app correctly, is to forget what you think you know, give users the opportunity to provide feedback, and be prepared to overhaul your design. This is how a superb user experience is created.
An in-depth usability review
Now that we know your test users’ general impressions of your app or website, it’s time to get into the nitty gritty. During the remote user review, participants will be asked to complete an in-depth assessment of your product’s usability. Usability is the degree to which an app or website enables users to complete tasks effectively, and efficiently, while enjoying the experience.
A usability review is a great way to identify any user flows that are too complicated, text that is confusing, or features that are difficult to use. After working on a project for a long time, UX designers and strategists can become blind to certain usability issues, so user testing your website or app with real-life users can give you a fresh perspective. Test users are pros at revealing hidden obstacles in your product’s design, functionality, or navigation. Once these obstacles have been identified, we can remove them so your users can reach their goals more easily. We rely on user testing for apps and websites to put your users first!
Check out our post: The foundations of UX usability testing to see how to lay the groundwork for an effective usability test.
Findings and recommendations report
Once we have gone through the full process of user testing for your app or website, we compile a detailed report outlining our main findings. This report outlines all the important points that were mentioned during the tests, and highlights the major pain points that were uncovered.
Without a plan of action, all this information can be overwhelming. But never fear! We combine our findings with a detailed list of UX recommendations. This is an actionable list of tasks that will help you improve the user experience of your product. These recommendations can either be implemented by your in-house design and development team, or by us! We love to see a project right through to the end, so we’d be happy to take charge of implementing our suggestions. Let’s give your users the experience they’ve been looking for!
Get unbiased feedback by user testing your app or website
Let’s find out what your users really think by user testing your website or app. We’ll help you get the feedback you need to build a user experience your customers will love.