Usability testing measures the quality of a user’s experience when interacting with a website. It is not a single property of a user interface, but a combination of factors that include: ease of learning and performing tasks, how quickly tasks can be accomplished, how often errors occur, and how much the user enjoys using the website.

Successful websites enable users to find information and accomplish tasks easily. The needs of the users are balanced with the needs of the organisation. When users struggle to find information they are likely to leave a site quickly, resulting in high bounce rates and low conversion rates.

In a usability test, representative users try to do typical tasks with the website, while observers watch, listen, and take notes. Testing can be done from the early stages of web design through to fully functional stages.

At Intendance, our usability testing includes:

• Finding representative users based on your target demographic
• Setting up optimum testing conditions (test lab)
• Supervision of users by at least one web designer or developer and one expert in usability
• User instruction on client tasks to be performed within allotted period of time
• Recording observations of users during test
• Follow up interviews and debriefing sessions with users
• Data analysis and reporting including recommendations for improved website usability

By getting feedback on your website from real users, you can improve the way your site interacts with clients, potential and actual. Using a controlled environment, Intendance can monitor user behaviour while using your site, providing additional information on screen movements and facial expressions.