User testing step by step
Good Usability Testing can give web developers the insight necessary to develop and maintain a website that meets their expectations and more importantly the Users Expectations. Usability Testing or User Testing is a approach to developing a website that uses direct Users feedback throughout the product development life cycle in order to reduce costs of both time and money in the long term. The products and tools you create must ultimately be satisfying for the user and meet their expectations, so its logical that the best Usability results are obtained from investment as early as possible in the product development life cycle.
User Testing as you have probably guessed is a very User focused analysis. One of the theories behind it is that not focusing on your users will hurt your chances of success.
Bad Usability can be the cause of many disadvantages including
A low or decreased volume of traffic to your website.
A bad or deteriorated brand perception.
An increase in support costs due to Users requiring assistance.
Low responses to any interactive features.
A Decrease in sales conversion.
Shopping cart abandonment.
Whereas on the other hand good User Testing can result in
Increased Traffic to your web presence
Better levels of User satisfaction
Achieving brand loyalty
Achieving user retention and revisits
Sales increases
Faster download speeds
Most of the Testing User analysis's we have conducted have identified often simple design issues as the cause of bad usability. Once identified these issues are usually easy to remedy by applying your Usability data to the design of your website. In our experience most are what you could call obvious, but most can only really can be identified by users. If User Testing is incorporated early into product development it can often act as a preventative measure but at any stage for those who take it seriously the advantages gained can be huge.
Our bespoke services identify thousands of areas for concern regarding Usability
Poor navigation and content
Disabled back buttons, both intentional and non intentional.
Bad framing in the layout of a website.
Frames that make bookmarking difficult or impossible.
Frames that make e-mail linking difficult or impossible.
Layout and functionality which affect search engine optimization.
Design that hinders sales
Lack of transparency in the products or services offered.
Feedback from our users once Usability design recommendations are implemented have stated
A 105% sales conversion increase.
An increases in traffic of 127%.
An improved brand perception.
An increase of return customers by up to 80%.
Support costs either dramatically reduced or eradicated in some cases.
The Testing User analysis can compare your Usability with your competitors. We ask users.
Which website are you more likely to revisit?
Which website are you more likely to purchase from?
Who has the better design and layout?
Which is easiest to navigate?
Which site is more beneficial to that brand?
User Testing examples...
