Usability Testing in UI UX Reseaching

Usability Testing

Usability testing is like asking real people to try out a website or an app to see if it's easy and enjoyable to use. It's about checking if the design makes sense to regular folks and figuring out if there are any parts that confuse them.

It's like throwing a little party for your app and inviting some friends to join. You want to see if they can easily find and do what they want without scratching their heads. If they do get confused, it's like getting advice on how to rearrange the furniture so everyone feels comfortable and has a good time.

Usability Testing in UI/UX Design: A Restaurant Example

Imagine you're designing a mobile app for a restaurant, allowing users to browse the menu, place orders, and make reservations.

Goal of Usability Testing

To check if people can use your restaurant app easily and effectively.

Example:

You want to make sure users can find their favorite dishes, place an order, and reserve a table without getting confused.

Setting up the Test

You invite a few people to try using your app and watch how they interact with it.

Example:

You ask a group of potential customers to use your app to order a specific dish or make a reservation while you observe and take notes.

Tasks for Users

You give users specific things to do in your app to see how well it works for them.

Example:

You ask users to find a vegetarian option on the menu, add it to the cart, and then proceed to checkout. This helps you understand if the menu is easy to navigate and if the ordering process is straightforward.

Observing User Behavior

You watch how users click, scroll, and navigate through your app.

Example:

You notice them get confused about how to modify their order. This observation hints that there might be a usability issue with the checkout process.

Gathering Feedback

You ask users about their experience and what they liked or found challenging.

Example:

You interview the users after the test and one person mentions, "I had trouble adjusting the quantity of the items in my cart." This feedback highlights a specific problem that needs attention.

Making Improvements

You use the feedback to tweak and improve your app.

Example:

Based on the feedback about the checkout process and modifying orders, you decide to redesign the checkout page, making it more intuitive and adding a clearer option to modify the quantity of items in the cart.

Iterative Process

You don't stop at one test. You keep testing and refining your design based on user feedback.

Example:

You conduct usability tests regularly, each time making small improvements. For instance, after the checkout page redesign, you test again to ensure users now find it easier to complete their orders.

Usability testing in UI/UX design is like having real users try out your product, observing their actions, listening to their thoughts, and using that information to create a more user-friendly experience. The goal is to make sure that interacting with your restaurant app is as smooth and enjoyable as having a great meal at the actual restaurant.

In a nutshell, usability testing is about making sure your website or app is like a good friend – reliable, easy to understand, and someone you enjoy spending time with.

Maze Tool

One of the best tools for conducting usability testing is Maze.

Maze is like a special tool for designers and researchers who make websites or apps. It helps them check if their creations are easy to use and enjoyable for people. With Maze, they can set up tests, kind of like little challenges, to see how users navigate through their designs. It's all about making sure the digital stuff we use is friendly and works well for everyone.

Hope the concept of Usability Testing is understandable.