Nobody wants to launch a product that looks perfect on paper but doesn’t resonate with real users. Before launching, a product has to be tested with real users to align with real-world problems.
That’s why designing a digital product doesn’t end at just designing; finding the right target audience is the ultimate goal, and conducting usability testing is the only way to do so. Conducting usability tests can be daunting, and any team that jumps into usability testing without a clear, structured plan can result in biased feedback, missed insights, or wasted effort.
To simplify UX testing, create a plan acting as your north star. It should include details like aligning goals, methods, and outcomes that can be expected from the texting process.
We at Yellow Slice have been following a four-stage process for nearly two decades, which we call STEP (Soak, Think, Execute, and Proof). The four stages are further divided into a seven-step process that we swear by, as it has delivered fantastic results in the past with brands that can vouch for us.
Aobhik Mandal is an experienced UX designer working closely with Yellow Slice and has proven his expertise after working on several big projects, and he says,
“A UI UX design is not complete without conducting usability testing. Creating a UX testing plan is like building a bridge between vision and reality. Each step helps me add another layer of functionality while I do not stray away from the roadmap that I constructed initially”
How To Create A Usability Testing Plan: The Checklist
There are five significant steps to creating a usability testing plan, and we have mentioned all of them step by step here. Let’s dive right into it.
Step 1: Define Your Objectives
To start conducting usability testing, one should ask, “Why are we testing?” Clarify your practice’s goals for success so that you uncover precisely what you’re looking for. Sketching out objectives helps you ascertain factors like,
- What testing method should you use
- What type of insights do you need
- How many participants should you look for
- How will you analyse research findings
Specific goals don’t let you stray from the direction you should objectively follow for the usability testing process. Usability testing can be confusing if you pick a broader sample size or use the wrong method. There’s a lot that can go wrong.
Your goals can be, but are not limited to:
- A specific feature validation
- Usability benchmarking
- User behaviour observation
Remember to consult stakeholders to understand their goals so that you can set their expectations straight. Eventually, there shouldn’t be any differences between designers, developers, or stakeholders at delivery time.
Make sure that everyone understands the difference between product and UX goals. For instance, the goal of the product can be to achieve a specific conversion rate and increase revenue. On the other hand, a UX goal can be to create a digital product that’s navigational.
Now, a UX design can be top-notch, but what does a well-designed website do if the product isn’t good? Not much. So it’s good to get your goals straight and understand that not everything can be solved with a UX design that slaps.
The output of well-defined objectives will result in you having a well-defined hypothesis on which you can work for the rest of the process.
Step 2: Identify the Target Users
Create a user persona for your product. Understand the age, gender, location, ethnicity, culture, and demographics of your users so that you can serve them correctly and choose the sample size that best portrays your target audience.
Decide the number of participants you will need, and remember that ‘go big or go home’ isn’t always the best strategy. It will be a bummer if you decide to pick a large sample size and cannot study it properly.
So, the sample size depends highly on the method you will use. For instance, user interviews are a great way to understand users’ experiences, but conducting 50 in-person interviews and then analysing the information will not be a cakewalk.
When you wish to gain qualitative insights and data, it may seem like the bigger the sample size, the more insights there are, but that’s not the case. Each research participant provided marginal benefits when collecting information, and the insights drastically decreased for the past four or five participants.
After a certain threshold, you’re not learning much about the additional participants.
However, this isn’t the case when it comes to gaining quantitative data; in that case, more results mean more meaning, as there will be a wider pool of statistics to review. This is when you take 50 participants to review.
Asking proxy users to pretend in the usability testing process will lead to invalid results; hence, ask for real users. Users in each target user group shouldn’t have attitudinal overlap between the groups. Unlike general sites, specialised sites that are content-rich and B2B sites should be tested with real users.
Step 3: Choose the Appropriate Testing Method
It’s good to ponder over different testing methods to decide which one to use. Here are some standard methods that one can use,
| Moderated | Unmoderated |
| A facilitator guides participants through tasks. They provide instructions, answer queries, and observe the participants’ interactions in real-time. | Participants complete tasks independently, without a facilitator’s guidance. The tasks are typically provided through an online platform, and participants perform them at their own pace. |
| Uses qualitative usability testing and allows immediate clarification. | Common in quantitative usability testing, focusing on metrics and statistical analysis |
| Advantage: Provides detailed insights and the ability to investigate user actions deeply. | Advantage: Cost-effective and allows for a more natural, user-friendly environment. |
| Disadvantage: Time-consuming and resource-intensive | Disadvantages: Limited ability to probe deeper into user actions or issues. |
There are two types of testing methods, divided based on the location of participants, which are,
| Remote | In-person |
| Online remote testing allows participants to complete tasks from their own location. It can be either moderated or unmoderated usability testing. | In-person testing is conducted in a controlled environment, such as a usability lab, where a facilitator can observe participants directly. It isn’t location-independent. |
| Advantage: Convenient for participants and can reach a broader target audience. | Advantage: Offers a controlled environment, reducing external variables that could affect results. |
| Disadvantage: Potential technical difficulties and less control over the testing environment. | Disadvantage: Logistically challenging and can be intimidating for participants, potentially affecting their user behaviour. |
The other two types of methods are divided based on the nature of the data collected and how the data are analysed.
| Qualitative | Quantitative |
| Qualitative data consists of observational findings identifying which design features are easy or hard to use. | Quantitative data consists of one or more metrics, such as task completion rates or times, that show whether the tasks were easy to perform. |
| Advantage: The researcher can always ask participants follow-up questions and change the course of the study to gain insights into the specific issue that the participant experiences. | Advantage: Provides statistically meaningful results likely to be replicated in a different study. |
| Disadvantage: In most scenarios, it provides subjective results that other providers can’t replicate. | Disadvantages: Quantitative studies usually aim not so much to describe a site’s usability as to compare it with a competitor’s or a previous design’s known standard. |
Here are a few examples of methods that can be used to conduct usability testing:
- First-click testing
In the first click-testing process, you invite users to engage on a website and then notice where they click first when they want to complete an action. If the website’s first click is correct, they are twice as likely to find what they want.
Where do they click instead if the first click doesn’t take them to their goal? To create a first-click test, you will put screenshots, sketches, or wireframes of the pages you want to test, and people will perform the activity.
This testing process helps you decide which content and visual elements to prioritise to make the interface more intuitive. Everything should flow naturally, including the language for labels, links, content, and the placement of the buttons, shopping cart icons, and menus.
- A/B testing
A/B testing is preferred when the designers have to test two or more versions of the same product to determine which users prefer. Also known as split testing or bucket testing, this method helps make data-driven decisions to determine which website layouts, email subject lines, CTA button text, and colour work best.
- Think-aloud protocol
Think-aloud testing involves users thinking out loud about everything they do or think when they use the platform. This exercise can make users uncomfortable, but it gives the testers real-time insights. The experimenter can see what is running in users’ minds as they interact with the product.
- System Usability Scale (SUS)
A System Usability Scale (SUS) makes a design user-friendly, efficient, and enjoyable. It’s a professional tool which uses a questionnaire-based method for user research (UX) and evaluation.
This method uses a series of standardised questions related to a user’s experience with a product and a five-point Likert scale. The objective is to collect quantitative data, giving valuable insights into users’ feelings.
Step 4: Create Test Scenarios and Tasks
Tasks replicating real-world interactions should be constructed to obtain actionable results through usability tests. What’s the difference between test scenarios and test tasks?
Test Scenarios are short descriptions or situations that provide a backdrop to the tasks that users will eventually complete. These scenarios supply context and outline the purpose of the task without revealing steps or solutions.
Conversely, test tasks are specific actions that users must take within a given scenario. They are action-oriented, such as “log in to your account” or “add products to the cart.” The tasks reveal how easily users can complete an action on a digital platform.
Types of Test Tasks:
Different types of tasks serve different purposes in usability testing, some include:
- Open-ended Tasks: During open-ended tasks, users are not given predefined instructions on how to proceed with a particular task. They are just given a task like “Find a laptop within a budget and make a payment.” Now, it’s up to the user to explore and navigate independently.
- Specific Tasks: Specific tasks ask users to perform a specific task in a specific way. Users have a clear goal such as “Find a shoe in your size and it to the cart”, these tasks asses how easy it is to follow instructions.
Step 5: Plan the Logistics
One of the first steps to running successful usability tests is planning the logistics so everything runs smoothly, from the script and roles to the tools used. A well-made plan minimises last-minute issues with participant privacy and other things.
Preparing a test script that will serve as a roadmap and be presented to users usually includes a welcome and warm-up note that helps users feel comfortable and debriefs the process. Guide users through realistic tasks, explaining that you’re testing the product, not the person using it.
The language explaining the test should be explanatory, and leading questions that indicate the “appropriate” way to interact with the product should be avoided. Instead, ask open-ended questions about what they faced, as qualitative feedback helps more than just numbers in the face of metrics.
Assign clear roles to streamline the session, and typical roles include,
- Moderator: Usually leads the entire session, starting with reading the script and interacting with participants. They ensure the session doesn’t beat around the bush and stays on track.
- Note Taker: This term is self-explanatory. The note taker captures key observations, behaviours, and statements. If the note taker is efficient, maintaining facilitation with the moderator becomes easy.
- Observer: Stakeholders or design team members who watch users silently. This usually happens via a live stream to gain firsthand insights.
Pick the tools and platform you will use based on the kind of tests that you are running. Commonly used platforms include,
- UserTesting, Maze, and Lookback are ideal for moderated or unmoderated remote testing.
- Zoom is everybody’s favourite for live sessions and screen sharing.
- Notion or Google Docs always do the job for collaborative note-taking and organising findings.
Check for general things ahead of time that they work correctly, such as,
- Tech and the internet
- Screen recording
- Audio and internet connectivity
- Permission access
You can even organise a pilot test before running the actual test. This helps you understand possible issues, such as confusing language, awkward transitions, or technical issues. This pilot test helps you prepare for the actual test when it’s time.
Clearly outline the participant’s consent regarding who will see the participants’ data and where it will be used. Offer an NDA or consent form and get their approval signed before proceeding. Don’t collect sensitive information; ask them if they wish to keep their answers anonymous.
How Yellow Slice Helped Probus Insurance Ace Their UX Design
Probus Insurance is a distinguished insurance-selling organisation operating primarily in the business-to-business sector. It facilitates partnerships with the point-of-sale personnel (POSP).
The Problem: The company wanted to upgrade its existing platform to elevate the overall user experience by consolidating all documentation, examination processes, and mandatory training modules into a single, user-friendly platform. With the redesigned website, they wanted to increase the number of people signing up to be POSP.
The Solution: Through compelling content on the homepage, we highlighted benefits such as an improved commission structure, superior product offerings, comprehensive support and training, and technological advancements.
We incorporated an impactful testimonial section featuring video testimonials and regular updates to enhance the trust and credibility factor. We introduced SEO-friendly sections like the blog to enhance the website’s discoverability.
We showcased existing partnerships with relevant materials and policy details, made the KYC process easy and intuitive, and solved technical issues with a fully responsive website.
Experience Slice of Designing at Yellow Slice?
Having worked with big names like Make My Trip, NPCI, Axis Bank, and Croma (and the list is long), we have learned the best UX design practices. We take pride in advancing the human experience and deriving business results with intuition and facts.
Ready to get a slice of digital experience? Visit our service page, and let’s start designing your success today.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. What is the goal of Usability Testing?
Usability testing ensures that the UI UX design of a digital product is aligned with the product development timeline. It also helps with the research analysis and ensures that the product is intuitive, functional, and navigational.
The goal of usability testing is to identify usability problems, improve user experience, validate design decisions, ensure task efficiency, and increase user satisfaction.
2. Which testing technique is used for Usability Testing?
Several testing techniques can be used in usability testing to evaluate how well a product functions. One doesn’t have to use all of them, but a couple of them, when used together, bring up the best results. The choice of methods depends on the nature and goals of the study. Some of them are:
- Moderated Usability Testing
- Unmoderated Usability Testing
- Think-aloud protocol
- A/B Testing/ Split Testing
- Remote Usability Testing
- Eye tracking
- Heatmaps
- Card Sorting
- Contextual Inquiry
