What is usability testing?

Usability testing encompasses a range of methods for identifying how users interact with a prototype or a complete site.

There are two methods of usability testing:

• Expert usability testing
• Usabilty testing with users

Expert usability testing

Experts analyse the usability of your web site, intranet, extranet or web based application, based on the 200 criteria of our usability matrix. This is also called heuristic evaluation or heuristic usability testing.

Usability testing with users

This method of usability testing involves observing individual visitors while they are performing a number of tasks on your web site, intranet or application.

In a typical approach, users — one at a time — use the web site to perform tasks, while one or more people watch, listen, and take notes hidden behind a one-way mirror.

Our aproach

The AGConsult approach of usability testing is a bit more personal. We're convinced that enhancing the usability of a web site needs more than just observing the users. It's not good enough to see what the user is doing, we need to know the why. In order to understand the mental model of the user it's necessary that he tells why he's doing certain things, and -even more important- why is not doing something. What is he looking for? Does he understand everything? Because of all this, one of our usability experts is sitting beside the user. Not just to observe the user closely but to keep him talking and to ask the why.

Mobile usabilty lab

Usability testing does not require a usability lab. Our experience makes it clear that a mobile usability lab that allows to record what happens and allows the client to follow to the test on a large screen in another room is the best method. This allows you, the client, to follow the usability test at your office.
 

Usability testing: when?

Usability testing should be done as early as possible in the process. Usability testing can be done on tree structures, paper prototypes, html prototypes ...
The sooner you do usability testing, the cheaper it is to change the design.