Uncover usability issues early with product research

Without thorough product research and testing, teams run a risk of launching products and experiences with usability issues.

When a user encounters a usability issue in a live product or experience, an organization starts off with technical debt that can negatively impact the user's impression of the brand, likelihood to return, and, last but not least, lead to negative feedback that drives potential business to competitors.

If the team is spending resources on correcting usability issues for end users post-launch, there's less capacity left for future innovation and improvements. By incorporating usability testing early in your product research, however, your team can avoid this potentially costly problem post-launch.

The impact of usability on product success

Usability is one of the key factors that can quickly make or break your product post-launch. Imagine your organization has gone through the arduous process of researching, designing, and developing a product, then extensively marketing it and preparing it for general users. Finally, it lands in front of a customer who encounters a usability issue.

This problem may not be large, but it’s frustrating enough to make the entire experience unpleasant. Customers voice their displeasure on reviews and social media, which leads to a loss of potential users who are turned off by the reported problems. 

According to a Forrester data report, over two-thirds of U.S. adults online rely on reviews and ratings before buying into an app or product. So before your development team has time to react, your product has lost its reputation overnight and faces a lot of uphill battles to fight in order to gain the customer’s trust again, if ever.

It is important to remember that whenever a customer is attempting to use your product, they are placing their trust in your organization. Trust that the process will be easy and they will be able to accomplish what your product advertises. The moment a usability issue occurs, the customer can feel that their time was wasted and seek out an alternative solution that can serve their needs quicker than your organization can correct the problem. 

Key methods for uncovering usability issues

For these reasons, finding usability issues before a customer can is the better strategy. This can be accomplished by incorporating specialized approaches early in your product development cycle.

Product design prototyping

Prototyping is an invaluable method for finding usability issues throughout the product development cycle. By creating low or high-fidelity prototypes, designers and product teams can quickly iterate in response to feedback.

Working with prototypes early puts teams in a good position to get users’ thoughts on rough concepts before they’re fully developed and implemented in an end product. The prototypes themselves can be simple mockups, storyboards, or wireframes, but just enough to convey the ideas that are being worked on.

Prototype usability testing

Conducting usability testing on the aforementioned prototypes is a great way to identify potential problems well ahead of the curve. Testing once a prototype is in a good and mostly complete state can lend the biggest opportunity for insightful feedback.

As test participants progress through something like wireframes, it's a great opportunity to intercept their feedback in real time. What do they expect to be the next step? Are they able to navigate without issue? Do they have questions on why things look a certain way? Facilitating testing at early iteration points can bring a lot of potential usability issues to light well before they can become problems later. 

Types of usability testing and their benefits 

There is rarely a one-size-fits-all solution to conducting user testing. Your organization may have different questions and testing needs, especially as the product is beginning to take shape with initial designs. Let’s take a look into different types of usability testing that can be done.

Formative vs. summative usability testing

Formative user testing is generally done early in the development lifecycle and can help inform the product’s design. For example, end users use a new mobile app to track their nutrition. They may be observed while they try to accomplish specific tasks, such as logging a meal or finding the calories of a homemade meal. 

Research teams should note how users react to using the app to accomplish these given tasks. This leads to findings that can identify what things could be fixed, improved upon, or removed entirely well before the product is in full development. 

Summative usability testing revolves more around the user's overall experience of the complete product. Using the example of a nutrition application above, summative testing would be more like giving the user a full version of the application. Once done, researchers would collect feedback that sums up the entirety of the customer’s experience. 

Those users’ success metrics would be measured against previously defined success metrics and potentially that of current competition. This allows for a final check to see if usability issues have been addressed.

Remote vs. in-person usability testing

Remote usability testing is a form of testing that is conducted with users from their own environments. It generally involves the use of screen and voice recording tools to track what your users are doing and voicing during their solo experiences. This can be useful in cases where your product has a heavy contextual need, such as an exercise app being used in a gym or during a workout. It can also reach a wider variety of potential users and return results faster.

In-person usability testing is conducted in a controlled environment, like a lab or conference room. Testers are invited to a specified site, supplied with equipment, and asked to test the product there. With this type of testing the facilitator of the test can address questions immediately and gauge reactions in real-time, at the cost of more resources such as a physical location and testing equipment. 

Exploratory vs. validation usability testing

Exploratory usability testing tends to be less structured and allows users to “play” with the product. Instead of giving a tester a specific set of steps to follow, they are given a more simplified task to accomplish and allowed to explore the product however they feel they should to complete the instruction. Here is where edge use cases can emerge. 

Unique user personas may have different ideas on how to get the job done, which can unearth some potential usability snags that wouldn’t have been addressed otherwise.

Validation usability testing covers the product as a whole. Are the users able to achieve their tasks without issue? Is your product easy to navigate and understand or read? Is it speedy? Is it accessible? All of these items can emerge with validation testing to identify areas of improvement, bounce rates, and more.

How to conduct actionable product research

Now that you understand the kinds of usability research out there, it’s time to start product research on your own. Before you start, though, it’s a good idea to get a general game plan for conducting your user research. 

Set clear research objectives 

There is little to be gained from testing if there is no clear idea of what it is you want answered. Setting clear research objectives gives designers and managers a purpose to their test. It can be as simple as seeing how a user accomplishes a single task, or more broad in getting feedback on the look and feel of a product. 

If many objectives emerge, prioritize them based on how early you are in the product’s development lifecycle. You want to make sure that the objective is clear so your research teams are in sync with each other as work on the product progresses.

Choose the right research methods

Much like having a distinct research goal, having the right research method is also important. While you could try every tool in the box to address a specific issue, it’s much faster and less costly to conduct a single test that matches up to the kind of feedback you’re looking for. After setting your research goal, assess the types of usability testing available against it. Does it have a high likelihood of achieving that objective? If so, you’re in business! 

Involve real users in the research process 

While it’s always great to get a few opinions of other coworkers in the office, nothing can beat the fresh perspective of soon-to-be customers. Involving actual users in your research process is tantamount to your testing success. Only users can come up with what’s important to their needs and wants in regards to your product, and their feedback is what can fuel your product development all the way to a successful launch.

Best practices for effective usability testing

There are many different tools and methodologies available for usability testing, but in order to achieve the most effective testing you can, consider these best practices:

• Test early, test often: Don’t call it a wash or a job well done after a single test. Iterate, get new perspectives, and test for different things as your product develops.
• Use small, but focused groups: Testing with smaller groups is proven to be more effective. Even more so when the participants are interested in what your product is potentially offering once it launches. (1)
• Have clear tasks in mind: Asking testers to accomplish a specific job with your product will unveil usability issues much faster than aimless exploration.
• Hire an expert: If your organization doesn’t have the resources to conduct effective usability testing, there are several companies, like UserTesting, that can assist in facilitating them on your behalf. 

Remove the guesswork and create better experiences

With these key aspects of product research and usability testing, your organization is ready to make informed decisions that will drive your product’s success.