User testing

Why is user testing important?

User testing is essential for creating successful products and avoiding costly mistakes. Research shows that testing with just five users can uncover 85% of usability issues, making it a cost-effective method. Fixing problems early is up to 100 times cheaper than fixing them after launch.

User testing also reveals unexpected ways users interact with products and generates new ideas for improvements. It helps teams confirm design choices and align them with real user needs.

This method provides reliable data to guide business decisions. By basing choices on actual user behavior, teams can improve user satisfaction, increase conversions, and create products that truly meet user needs. This data is essential for designing and implementing successful user adoption strategies.

What are the goals of user testing?

User testing is important because it helps ensure products, services, and digital interfaces are easy to use and meet customer needs. 

By observing how users interact with a product, businesses can find areas to improve and make better decisions. It helps spot problems and improve designs for a better overall experience.

Let’s take a closer look at the goals of user testing:

Improve usability and user experience

• Find where users have trouble with navigation or usability
• Make the product more intuitive and easier to use
• Improve engagement and satisfaction by simplifying tasks
• Create enjoyable, seamless experiences for users

Increase customer satisfaction and loyalty

• Identify problems that might affect user satisfaction
• Find new ways to improve performance and keep customers happy
• Ensure the product meets users’ needs and expectations
• Test how users react to new features or updates

Understand user behavior and needs

• Learn about user preferences, goals, and motivations
• Watch how users interact with the product to spot confusion or frustration
• Discover what users want and need to improve the product
• Gather insights to make the product more user-friendly

Who is involved in user testing?

User testing involves several key people, both inside and outside the organization. Their work ensures the product meets user needs and business goals.

Let’s look in more detail:

Internal stakeholders

• Product managers: Lead the testing process and decide what issues to prioritize.
• UX/UI designers: Use feedback to improve the product’s design and usability.
• Developers: Make changes based on feedback and work with the design team to ensure they’re possible.
• Marketing teams: Use insights to promote the product and ensure it appeals to the target audience.
• Customer support teams: Share user feedback to help identify common problems.
• Executives/leadership: Make decisions based on user testing to keep the product aligned with business goals.

External stakeholders

• Test participants (users): Provide feedback about their experience to help identify problems.
• Consultants/usability experts: Advise on how to run effective user tests.
• Third-party agencies: Help organize and analyze user tests when needed.

Partners/clients: Offer feedback to ensure the product meets customer needs.

What is required for user testing success?

To achieve success in user testing, organizations should focus on three key areas: defining success criteria, measuring effectiveness, and tracking key metrics. These areas help ensure the testing process is focused and provides valuable insights for improving user experience.

Let’s explore these areas in more detail to ensure you can achieve user testing success.

Define clear success criteria

Set clear goals for your user testing, such as completing a task within a certain time or achieving a specific level of accuracy. This will help you measure whether the product meets user expectations and guide improvements.

Measure effectiveness

Check how well users can complete tasks with your product. Use a simple scoring system, like “1” for task completion and “0” for failure, to see if the product is usable and where it needs improvement.

Track usability metrics

Track three key metrics to evaluate usability. These metrics often overlap with broader digital adoption metrics to provide a complete picture of user success

• Effectiveness: Can users complete tasks successfully?
• Efficiency: How quickly and easily can users finish tasks?
• Satisfaction: Are users happy with the overall experience?

Why do user testing projects fail?

User testing is crucial for improving products, but many organizations face challenges that can lead to failed projects or ineffective processes. 

By understanding these common obstacles, teams can avoid mistakes and run more successful user testing initiatives. Let’s take a closer look:

Lack of clear goals and success criteria

User testing often fails when there are no clear objectives. Without specific goals, like measuring how users complete tasks or understanding satisfaction, it’s hard to gather useful insights. Undefined goals can lead to unclear results and missed chances for improvement. It’s important to define success criteria at the start to guide the testing process and ensure meaningful outcomes.

Inadequate participant selection

Choosing the wrong participants can affect the results of user testing. If the test group doesn’t match the product’s target audience, the feedback may not be useful. It’s important to select participants who are similar to real users to get accurate insights. Failing to recruit the right users can result in feedback that doesn’t reflect the actual needs of your target market, which may lead to poor product decisions.

Insufficient or poor data analysis

Many organizations struggle with analyzing the data they collect during user testing. Without proper analysis, important insights can be missed, or incorrect conclusions can be drawn. This can lead to ongoing employee frustration and adoption challenges. Analyzing the data properly helps to understand user behavior and make informed decisions. Without careful analysis, teams might overlook patterns or misinterpret feedback, ultimately leading to missed opportunities for product improvement.

User testing use cases

User testing is a versatile tool that can be applied across various industries to improve products, services, and user experiences. Each business scenario uses different methods, depending on the goals and challenges of the specific sector. 

Here are three examples of how user testing can be applied in real-world business situations.

Retail

Scenario: A retail company launches a new e-commerce website and wants to ensure customers can easily navigate and complete purchases.

Method: The company conducts usability testing with a group of users from their target audience. Test participants are asked to browse the site, find specific products, and make a purchase. Observers track task completion rates and user feedback.

Outcome: The testing reveals that many users struggle to find the checkout button. As a result, the website’s design is adjusted, making navigation clearer and improving the overall user experience. This leads to increased conversion rates and reduced cart abandonment.

Healthcare

Scenario: A healthcare provider releases a new patient portal for booking appointments and accessing medical records, but they are concerned about its usability.

Method: User testing is conducted with patients who regularly use the portal. They are asked to complete tasks like scheduling an appointment and reviewing test results. Observers note any areas where users face confusion or difficulty.

Outcome: The testing identifies that users are having trouble with the language used in the scheduling section. Based on this feedback, the healthcare provider simplifies the wording and adds visual cues to improve understanding, enhancing patient satisfaction and engagement with the portal.

Financial services

Scenario: A financial services company develops a new mobile app for managing investments and wants to test its user experience before launch.

Method: A series of in-person and remote user testing sessions are conducted with a mix of novice and experienced investors. Participants are asked to perform tasks like checking their portfolio or making a trade. The company tracks user success rates and gathers qualitative feedback on the app’s design and functionality.

Outcome: Users indicate they are confused by the app’s navigation menu, which is cluttered with too many options. The company streamlines the menu and prioritizes the most common features, leading to a smoother user experience and higher app adoption rates after the launch.