Overview of the usability testing process

The process breaks down into three phases:

• Phase 1: Needs Assessment - Do field studies, interview users about what they need and want
• Phase 2: Design and Requirements Review - This is a broad brush first draft of functions, piece by piece
• Phase 3: Application Testing - Methods of testing code from the viewpoint of customers

 
Detecting failures and defects before your product comes to market

We typically find that the fast feedback afforded by testing code from the user’s viewpoint is a key to detecting problems quickly, reducing risk and rework.  You save time and money and have a cleaner, more user-friendly product as a result.

For example, a recent project revealed that the marketing department of a company had come up with 10 “must-have” features for an application. This was way beyond the scope and budget they had.  When we interviewed users in the field, they only needed 4 of those features - meaning that the product could be delivered on time and on budget.

Make sure your application testing is about the user’s needs and you’ll save time and money.