Usability Testing Overview

At Raft, LLC, we test early and often. During the principle design sprints, we complete iterative testing at after each upgrade of our prototypes. Once we have a functional product, we move into usability testing. We complete several rounds of testing, including internal team testing, testing with the client stakeholders and external participants that align with our personas.

We are constantly looking for feedback using Jakob Nielsen's 10 general principles for interaction design

1. Visibility of system status
2. Match between system and the real world
3. User control and freedom
4. Consistency and standards
5. Error prevention
6. Recognition rather than recall
7. Flexibility and efficiency of use
8. Aesthetic and minimalist design
9. Help users recognize, diagnose, and recover from errors
10. Help and documentation

Process and Instruments

• Develop User Testing Plan and submit for approval.
• Recruit participants.
• Develop Task Instructions
• Prepare and rehearse interview: We typically use Lookback.io for remote inverviewing.
• Conduct interviews
  • Submit Consent Form to participant
  • Complete tasks
  • Gather data from a Post Test Questionnaire: We use the Usability Metric for User Experience (UMUX) scale, which is 4 question/item like scale to assess perceived usability and is usually used in lieu of SUS.
• Synthesize data into UX Research Report for each round of testing.
  • Executive Summary
  • Introduction
  • Methods
  • Findings and Recommendations
  • Limitations
  • Conclusion