Usability Testing

If you develop web sites, you need to be doing usability testing. It is that simple.

When you write a program using your favorite language, do you expect the program to work correctly the first time? No, none of us do. We all know the importance of testing our software as we develop it.

Your web interface needs testing as well. Web developers and graphic designers,while talented, aren't like the general population. We think different. We have an entirely different vocabulary. Designing systems that make sense to code warriors will often lead to a site that is not usable by the average person.

This tutorial will teach you how to conduct a simple usability test on your web site (using the hands-on task based method). While the method explained here is not comprehensive, the return on investment is very steep. Consider the wise words of a well known usability expert:

"It takes only five users to uncover 80 percent of high-level usability problems" Jakob Nielsen