usability testing

Most websites in Hong Kong are commissioned by the company's owner, or marketing department, and built by a web design agency without any reference to the final user. Sometimes the websites work, but more often than not the user will experience difficulty in finding information they want, or completing a transaction they set out to do. This is where usability testing comes in.

First we discuss with the website stakeholders what their objectives are. What are the goals for the website? (Later we can set in place tools that will measure these goals are met - see Search Marketing).

Then we work backwards and ask who are the users of the website? Typically there will be potential customers and existing customers. These users will have different needs, and expectations.

The best choice is to interview users one on one. Alternatively we can put together focus groups and question them about the site. If these options are not possible, then at least we can put together user profiles and ask ourselves what their needs are.

Subjects needed to be covered in the usability testing are:

• Information architecture
• Graphic design
• Information search methodology
• Shopping cart methodology
• Feedback methodology

Ideally you will conduct usability testing at the design stage, and all the way through to launch. Usability testing can be expensive. Typically a large website with a high degree of user interaction - like a banking website - will have 30% of its costs on usability testing. But it is clearly worth it. The proof is in its absence. If the site doesn't work, the implications are serious. And so often you can see when sites get it wrong: a publicly listed company website with website features that are a user hazzard.

The best way to measure the benefits of usability testing is in the return on investment (ROI). It is easy to model how more successful shopping transactions result in increased profit. You can measure transactions pre and post usability testing to demonstrate its effectiveness.

For more information about usability testing contact us at Pilot.