FAQWhat is usability testing?
In a usability test, one user at a time is shown something (whether it’s a website, prototype of a site, or some sketches of individual pages) and asked to either (a) figure out what it is, or (b) try to use it to do a typical task.
The above definition is from the book Don’t make me think by Steve Krug.
Recently we carried out a user testing session for the new onestopclick.com. The user testing showed to be a very valuable and we received good feedback. Hence we decided to ask Paul a few questions about his experience.
Interview with Paul Denham from Onestopclick
Did you find the user testing service valuable?
Paul: Yes I found this beneficial. There is no substitute for getting real people testing the site in real time and having the benefit of recording their every move
What was your perception about user testing before dealing with Netgrade?
Paul: I was aware of user testing but hadn’t employed it before. My perception was that it would be very costly. It was good to see Netgrade offered this.
What was your experience and what did you get out of it?
Paul: User testing proved to be an important part of the refining and testing process. For us it was especially useful to have a video of the testing, enabling analysis in our own time and helped us drawing up a list & priority of changes to the design and navigation.
Would you recommend it to others?
Paul: I would recommend the user testing facility to others. However you must ensure the user group is varied and representative of your intended audience. Make sure the people carrying out the testing are ‘neutral’ rather than the site’s architects or designers.
Paul Denham is the founder of www.onestopclick.com a leading technology research website.
