What is Usability Testing?
Have you ever been browsing a web site and could not find a link directly back to the homepage? Or gone
to your ISP's site and could not find a list of dial in access numbers? In other words, you couldn't achieve
basic tasks on a web site.
This is what usability is all about. Making your site useable. Sounds simple and obvious, but you have
been involved in the creation of your site and you know just where to click and what's coming up next
- but not if you are a visitor. To a new visitor your site is a new web application to learn. The visual
lexicon of your site varies from other sites - your links appear different, your information is parceled
differently.
A prominent button may be missed, or an entire section overlooked. A function that can be blindingly
obvious to the developer and client can be ignored in the real world.
Mini Quick Test
Do this now - pick a critical function of your web site, say purchasing a product or finding postal address
details. Now ask some one who has never seen your site before to perform the function. Observe them. How
many times did they choose the wrong links, how long did it take them, were they able to achieve the task?
The above methodology is called a "scavenger hunt", but there are 2 other testing methodologies;
focus group and expert analysis. All three approaches can be used.
Usability Testing at Dynamic Web Solutions
At Dynamic Web Solutions we offer you an impartial testing service and will report in detail on how we
believe your site could be improved.
Usability Testing: Methodology
We engage test subjects on your behalf. We deploy all of the methodologies discussed above. For scavenger
hunts and focus group interviews we capture digital video which we refer to in our report. A complete
session includes:
- locating test subjects
- testing site
- interviewing subjects on specific areas
- writing a summary of results
- debriefing with you
The duration of the tests is dependent on the scale and complexity of your site. Typically 30 - 45 minutes
per person with between 4 and 8 interviewees.
A 4-person 45-minute test can be achieved for as little as $750. Compare this to the cost of lost revenues
if your 1800 number or order form can not be easily found!
Summary
No website is created perfectly: each site will have its problems. Usability testing is the process
of working with real people to discover the range of ways that people will use your website. Testing just
1 person is 100% better than no testing.
Usability Links
Jakob Nielsen's Useit.com Web Site
Wikipedia's entry on Usability
Usability News
Steve Krug's excellent book on Usability
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