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Usability Testing

by Jim Lewis, PhD and Jeff Sauro, PhD | February 11, 2020

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UX ( 73 )
 Methods ( 62 )
 Usability Testing ( 53 )
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 NPS ( 33 )
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 Usability ( 32 )
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 SUS ( 28 )
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 Mobile Usability ( 1 )
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Three Goals of Usability Testing

By Jim Lewis, PhD and Jeff Sauro, PhD . February 11, 2020 . Tags: , ,
The fundamental goal of usability testing is to produce highly usable products and services. That’s an uncontroversial statement. Where things can get a bit confusing is how different approaches to usability testing have different ways of achieving that goal. In earlier articles we have described the different types of usability tests but many types still share common goals. In this article, we’ll first revisit the

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How Much Does a Usability Test Cost?

By Jeff Sauro, PhD . July 17, 2018 . Tags:
Usability testing is expensive. At least that has been the perception. But the idea that usability is a nice-to-have ideal that only big companies such as IBM or Microsoft can afford has fortunately evolved. While technology has improved and gotten cheaper, it’s the technique that’s become more accessible and accepted. The discount-usability movement helped emphasize the effectiveness of low-cost, smaller sample sizes to find and fix usability

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What You Need to Conduct a Moderated Usability Test

By Jeff Sauro, PhD . June 19, 2018 . Tags: , ,
Usability tests don’t have to be expensive or require a lot of technology. The real value is not in the equipment or technology but in the technique. Usability testing is not a focus group. Nor is usability testing a product demo. You shouldn’t lead participants through a product as if it were a demo and ask them if they “like” something. Uncovering problems users encounter

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How to Build a Dedicated Usability Lab

By Jeff Sauro, PhD . June 5, 2018 . Tags: , ,
You don’t need a dedicated usability lab to conduct a usability test. But if you or your organization conducts more than the occasional usability test, which it probably should (another topic in itself), you may want to consider setting up a dedicated usability lab. Having a dedicated space for testing is a hallmark of organizations with high UX maturity. Organizations rated as mature in UX

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How Large Is the Evaluator Effect in Usability Testing?

By Jeff Sauro, PhD . March 27, 2018 . Tags: , ,
Uncovering usability problems is at the heart of usability testing. Problems and insights can be uncovered from observing participants live in a usability lab, using heuristic evaluations, or watching videos of participants. But if you change the person looking for the problems (the evaluator), do you get a different set of problems? The Evaluator Effect It’s been 20 years since two influential papers (Jacobsen, Hertzum,

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Do Novices or Experts Uncover More Usability Issues?

By Jeff Sauro, PhD . February 27, 2018 . Tags:
Finding and fixing problems encountered by participants through usability testing generally leads to a better user experience. But not all participants are created equal. One of the major differentiating characteristics is prior experience. People with more experience tend to perform more tasks successfully, more quickly and generally have a more positive attitude about the experience than inexperienced people. But does testing with experienced users lead to uncovering

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8 Ways to Minimize No Shows in UX Research

By Jeff Sauro, PhD . January 23, 2018 . Tags: ,
While UX research may be a priority for you, it probably isn’t for your participants. And participants are a pretty important ingredient in usability testing. If people were predictable, reliable, and always did what they said, few of us would make a living in improving the user experience! Unfortunately, people don’t always show up when they say they will for your usability test, in-depth interview,

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Do Observers Affect Usability Test Results?

By Jeff Sauro, PhD . November 14, 2017 . Tags:
Many researchers are familiar with the Hawthorne Effect in which people act differently when observed. It was named when researchers found workers at the Hawthorne Works factory performed better not because of increased lighting but because they were being watched. This observer effect happens not only with people but also with particles. In physics, the mere act of observing a phenomenon (like subatomic particle movement)

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10 Resources for Usability Facilitators

By Jeff Sauro, PhD . September 26, 2017 . Tags: , ,
Facilitating a usability test is a skill. With enough of the right practice you’ll get better at facilitating and running more effective usability test sessions. A solid foundation in both the theory and practical applications of facilitating a usability test will aid you in becoming a solid facilitator. To help, here are ten resources for both beginners and intermediate usability test facilitators. 1. Read about

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When to Provide Assistance in a Usability Test

By Jeff Sauro, PhD . August 29, 2017 . Tags: ,
One of the fundamental principles behind usability testing is to let the participants actually use the software, app, or website and see what problems might emerge. By simulating use and not interrupting participants, you can detect and fix problems before users encounter them, get frustrated, and stop using and recommending your product. So while there’s good reason to shut up and watch users, should a

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