What Is User Testing?

Date First Published: 30th March 2024

Topic: Web Design & Development

Subtopic: Web Development

Article Type: Computer Terms & Definitions

Difficulty: Medium

Difficulty Level: 4/10

CONTENTS

Methods Of User Testing
Types Of User Testing
User Testing Measures
Difference Between User Testing and Usability Testing

Learn about what user testing is in this article.

User testing is the process of testing the usability, functionality, and overall user experience by collecting feedback from users. That way, apps and websites can be enhanced to better meet the needs of their intended audience. This will ensure that their products offer an improved user experience, which will probably result in better user retention.

Methods Of User Testing

Different methods of user testing include:

Accessing user feedback through surveys.
Using software to track mouse movements.
Using A/B testing and finding out the preferences of the group on a variety of features.
Using the system usability scale.
Listing the problems that the users have identified.
Measuring the learnability.
A competitive comparison against an existing website or app.

Types Of User Testing

The two main types of user testing include:

Moderated user testing - Involves someone interacting with a user and then listening to their feedback during and/or after the use of the app or website.
Unmoderated user testing - Involves someone testing a large group of users at once by collecting data. It does not involve any interaction with the users.

User Testing Measures

Examples of user testing measures include:

Critical errors - These prevent users from being able to successfully complete the user test.
Non-critical errors - These do not prevent users from being able to successfully complete the user test, but impact efficiency.
Error-free rate - The percentage of participants who can complete the test without errors.
Time on task - How long it takes for users to successfully complete the test.
Subjective measures - These include user likes and dislikes, recommendations, and personal feelings of satisfaction or enjoyment upon completion of the test.

Difference Between User Testing and Usability Testing

The main difference between user testing and usability testing is that user testing covers the overall user experience someone has with a website or app. This includes all the factors that contribute to the overall feeling a user gets when using a website or app, whilst usability testing focuses on the way a user uses a website or app to achieve a specific goal. This forms part of the user experience, but not the whole experience.