User testing is the process of which people test the interface and functionality of a website, app, or product under real sonditions. This allows web developers to evaluate the usability of the product and decide if it is ready to be launched for the public. Of course, there are plenty of different ways to test products and or websites. So in this essay I will expain just some of the different way of user testing and how they are done. According to omniconver.com, "We can define this concept as the efficiency and easy of use of a web page or an electronic interace". So what I can gather is that, people test websites to make sure they work, then make sure that there is a point/purpose to the website/product. If there is a purpose of the product, then the user testers would make it easier to find and point out the purpose so that everyone can find the purpose of the product. Another way that user-testing could occur would be for people to take sureys. This allows the developer to obtain feedback from users and possible suggestions for future updates.
A/B testing is also another more effective and efficient way to test products. A/B testing is when two groups of testers are selected to test the same website/product at the same time to track their reactions, what they liked vs. what they ignored or did not like. The only downside to this method of testing would be that you would need quite a bit of people to test the product and you would need to determine what is being tested, your goals for the test, and what you want to happen.
Of course, these are just some of the many different ways to get user testing done. But, how does one actually set up user testing? Well, according to hotjar.com The first step to getting started would be to identify your testing goals. Identifying your goals set clear objectives and make it easier to evaluate the results later on when the test is over. Creating focus areas in the goals can also further determine critical features for users, and or id missing features.
Step two of creating a user testing scenario, would be to select a suitable testing method. Again, there are plenty of options to choose from and some are more effective than others depending on the product that you would want ot test out. For example, going back to the A/B testing, you could potentialy set up a test in which you could measure the consistency of a website, or determine how easily a website is navigated when there are two different layouts for the web page and you want to determine which one would be the better more friendly version.
Step three would be to recruit the right test participants. According to hotjar, the best participants would be your user base and or the people who fit your buyers personas. I personally would agree with this notion because, it allows you to get a first hand experience in what the customers would like to see in the finished product and what could be implimented to better it.
Step four and five would be to find a suitable test location and lastly conduct the test. Depending on what method of test you went with in step 2, there are also many different ways to conduct or decide on what to do with on step 4. With A/B testing, you could either create sesions online and host a remote sesion to conduct the test. Of course, step 5 is to run the test and make sure they have all necessary instructions and inforomation before running the test.
The last and final step, is to document the data and insights, and review what happened in the test, what would better your product, what the testers did not like about the product, and compare it your goal was met.