Definition: In a usability-testing session, a researcher (called a “facilitator” or a “moderator”) asks a participant to perform tasks, usually using one or more specific user interfaces. While the participant completes each task, the researcher observes the participant’s behavior and listens for feedback.
Why do we need to do usability testing? Won’t a good professional UX designer know how to design a great user interface? Even the best UX designers can’t design a perfect — or even good enough — user experience without iterative design driven by observations of real users and of their interactions with the design. There are many variables in designing a modern user interface and there are even more variables in the human brain. The total number of combinations is huge. The only way to get UX design right is to test it.
There are many different types of usability testing, but the core elements in most usability tests are the facilitator, the tasks, and the participant.
The facilitator administers tasks to the participant. As the participant performs these tasks, the facilitator observes the participant’s behavior and listens for feedback. The facilitator may also ask followup questions to elicit detail from the participant.
