Ch-9 Usability Testing On 10 Cents A Day

Chapter-9

Usability Testing On 10 Cents A Day

Keeping Testing Simple – So You Do Enough Of It

Summary

Chapter 9 demystifies usability testing by showing that it doesn’t have to be expensive, time-consuming, or complicated. The chapter advocates for simple, frequent testing with just three users at a time, conducted early and often throughout the development process.

This “do-it-yourself” approach means testing one user at a time in a morning session, fixing the most serious problems that afternoon, and repeating monthly. The key insight is that testing one user is 100% better than testing none, and observing even a few users will reveal the most critical usability problems.

This lightweight, continuous approach is far more valuable than elaborate, infrequent testing because it keeps the team focused on real user needs and catches problems while they’re still easy to fix.

key Points

Why Simple Testing Works Better

The best usability testing is cheap, fast, and frequent – not elaborate and expensive

Testing doesn’t have to be perfect to be valuable

Simple tests done frequently are better than elaborate tests done rarely
“Testing one user is 100% better than testing none”
The goal is to catch problems early when they’re easy to fix

The Do-It-Yourself Approach

Test early and often with three users per round, once a month

Test three users in the morning, debrief over lunch, fix problems in the afternoon

Repeat every month throughout the development cycle

Focus on finding the most serious problems, not finding every problem
“The first few users will reveal the biggest, most obvious issues”
Don’t worry about proving anything or generating statistics
“The goal is to improve the site, not to create research data”

How Many Users Do You Need?

Three users per round is the magic number

The first three users will find the most obvious and serious problems

Additional users tend to surface the same issues repeatedly

Testing more users doesn’t proportionally increase insights
“The purpose of testing is not to prove or disprove something – it’s to inform your judgment”
Better to test three users four times than twelve users once
“Iterative testing catches more problems over time”

How Often Should You Test?

Test early in the development process – even on sketches and wireframes

Continue testing regularly throughout development
“Monthly testing keeps you on track without disrupting workflow”

Don’t wait until the site is “ready” – test rough prototypes

Early problems are easier and cheaper to fix

Continuous testing prevents the buildup of unfixable problems

What to Test

Test the things users will actually do on your site
“Create realistic tasks based on common user goals”

Start with your most important user flows

Focus on new features or recently changed areas

Test both new designs and existing pages that seem problematic

Who Should You Test?

Recruit loosely and grade on a curve – almost anyone is better than no one

You don’t need to find “perfect” test participants

Users who are somewhat representative are good enough
“They should be able to use a computer and a web browser”
Testing anyone will reveal problems that affect everyone
Don’t use friends, family, or coworkers who know the project
“They know too much and can’t simulate a fresh perspective”

Where and How to Test

You don’t need a fancy usability lab – any quiet room will do

Use screen recording software to capture the session
“You need to see what they’re clicking and hear what they’re thinking”
Have the participant think aloud while using the site
“What are you thinking? What are you looking for?”

Don’t help or guide them – just observe and take notes
Keep sessions short – 30-60 minutes is plenty

Who Should Watch

The whole team should observe the tests – it’s transformative

Developers, designers, managers, and stakeholders should all watch

Watching real users struggle with your interface is incredibly convincing
“The moment someone watching a usability test gets it is almost palpable”
Live observation creates shared understanding and urgency
It ends debates and builds consensus around what needs fixing

What to Do with the Results

Fix the most serious problems first, then test again

After testing, the team debriefs and lists problems by severity

Focus on the top problems that are causing the most grief
“Don’t try to fix everything – just the worst offenders”
Make fixes quickly while observations are fresh
Resist the temptation to redesign everything
“Small, focused fixes are more effective than wholesale changes”
Test again next month to verify fixes and find new issues

The Benefits of Simple Testing

Provides reality check on assumptions and design decisions

Builds empathy for users across the entire team

Settles arguments and debates with actual evidence

Catches problems while they’re still easy and cheap to fix

Creates shared understanding of user needs

Regular testing keeps the team focused on users rather than opinions

Common Objections (and Rebuttals)

“We don’t have time” → Testing saves time by preventing bigger problems later

“We don’t have money” → DIY testing costs almost nothing

“We don’t have users” → Recruit anyone – neighbors, friends of friends, Craigslist

“We’re not ready to test yet” → Test early, even on sketches

“They won’t find anything we don’t already know” → You’ll be surprised every time

Key Takeaways

Do-it-yourself usability testing is the most cost-effective way to improve your site

Test three users per round, once a month, throughout development

Testing one user is infinitely better than testing none

You don’t need perfect participants, elaborate facilities, or statistical proof

The goal is to find and fix the most serious problems, not to find every problem

Having the team watch tests is transformative – it builds empathy and consensus

Fix the most serious problems immediately, then test again
“If you want a great site, you have to test”