"User testing is an important testing technique and it might seem time-consuming and expensive at first but incorporating user testing in your software development process can make a huge difference. It helps in taking feedback from real users during the design phase itself which in turn reduces the chances and costs involved with changing the major product functionalities at the end of product development. The end-result of user testing is a high-quality product that interacts with users as expected."

What is User Testing?

User testing also known as usability testing is a testing technique performed during the design stage of the product. The main aim of this test is to evaluate the product, its feature, or prototype with end-users.

User testing when done thoroughly takes the form of a one-to-one interview with the end-user and is conducted by a qualified and skilled UX researcher. The feedback received from the end-user helps in making the product more reliable and successful.

What are the best User Testing Tips for 2020-2021?

Test early

By testing early it becomes more easy and convenient to implement the changes as per the feedback received from the end-user. Don’t wait for the whole product to be developed first, as it will only increase the cost of changing the features of the product at the end of product development stage. Start your test on mock-ups or semi-functional prototypes.

Clearly state the objectives of the test

Clearly define and state the objective of the test. Unclear goals act as a hurdle in achieving the desired result. Before starting the test make sure that you ask questions to yourself like ‘what do I want to achieve from this test’? Prepare questionnaires or survey based on this objective.

Do not ask close-ended questions

Make sure that you ask minimum possible close-ended questions (YES/NO) as they have a limited scope of explanation. Try to ask as many open-ended questions as you can as they will allow clear explanation and you can get to discover opinions that you never thought of. Open-ended questions will make you get a clearer picture of the user’s perspective.

Don’t be biased

Make sure that you give full authority to the people who are going to test your product. Do not interfere or overpower your thoughts or opinions on them. Listen carefully and patiently to their feedbacks. Never ask biased questions that bound the users to answer in one particular way. Always remember that you are conducting this test to know their opinions.

Test with real users

This is the most tricky and difficult part. Finding the right set of people who will actually use your product and are unbiased too is very difficult. Make sure that you conduct this test with real users, other than your family, friends, or relatives. The users should be unknown so that you can receive unbiased and genuine response/feedback.

Go slow and steady

Don’t be in a hurry to ask everything about the product in one session. Make sure that you focus on major things first. Don’t be in a hurry to solve everything at once. Give time to the user to understand the product and then answer your questions. Fix the major issues work, retest, and check how it works, take feedback and iterate accordingly.

Conclusion

Today the quality of a software product is decided by its usability. If your websites, apps are not delivering a seamless experience to customers then it is more likely that you will face many challenges. To overcome these challenges, user testing is conducted. It helps in getting real-time feedback from the real user which helps in making a more reliable and high-quality product.