⏯️ Usability / Audience Testing
Usability testing is a way to see how easy to use something is by testing it with real users.
Users are asked to complete tasks, typically while they are being observed by a researcher, to see where they encounter problems and experience confusion.
If more people encounter similar problems, recommendations will be made to overcome these usability issues.
Advantages:
Feedback direct from the target audience to focus the project team.
Internal databases can be resolved by testing the issue to see how users react to the different options being discussed.
Issues and potential problems are highlighted before the product is launched
It increases the likelihood of usage and repeat usage
it minimises the risk of the product failing
Users are better able to reach their goals, which results in the business meeting its targets.
Disadvantages:
Testing is not 100% representative of the real life scenario. For example, a mother will not have her two young children running around like she might have at home.
Usability testing is mainly qualitative so does not provide the large samples of feedback that a questionnaire might, but the feedback can be far more accurate and insightful.
Qualitative
Relating to, measuring, or measured by the quality of something rather than its quantity