About
Usability testing is a technique used in user-centered interaction design to evaluate a product by testing it on users.
Watching users try to accomplish tasks on a site is the most effective and efficient way to uncover usability problems.
When redesigning a site, user testing provides additional insight insight into the user's psychology, and can aid in the creation of Personas.
Methods
https://boagworld.com/design/testing-design - techniques for testing design.
AB testing - aka split testing
Services
peek.usertesting.com – a 5m test for free of a site on a URL.
fivesecondtest.com – Fivesecondtest helps you fine tune your landing pages and calls to action by analyzing the most prominent elements of your design.
verifyapp.com - Verify lets you test screenshots of your design work to gain valuable insights on your users' expectations and reactions to your apps and websites before writing a single line of code. Your team will love the great-looking, actionable, reports that will help them make informed design decisions.
Resources
Internal
Kalamuna Usability Testing Google doc template
Usability Plan Dashboard
http://www.userfocus.co.uk/articles/usability_test_plan_dashboard.html
Usability Test Data Logger tool v5.1.1
http://www.userfocus.co.uk/resources/datalogger.html
This spreadsheet allows you to measure task completion rates, analyse questionnaire data, and summarise participant comments. It even includes a timer so you can measure time-on-task. The spreadsheet is highly customisable.
Can be used for up to 20 participants and 50 tasks.