Usability testing is an important part of designing a user interface. To ensure the interface is fully effective, the usability testing is best done throughout the whole designing process as well as during implementation. During the software life cycle, designers can go back at any time to make corrections. It’s very important to perform testing, because it prevents major errors, and makes the software run smoothly (Edrington, 1999). There are four principles for usability testing: Efficiency, accuracy, recall and emotional response. The best way to describe the benefits of usability testing is to explain how each of the four principles work.
The benefits of applying each of the four principles (Vasile, 2013) are:
- Efficiency– the benefit of this is that testers have measured how much time it takes to complete a task in the interface and how many steps it took to do it. For the kiosk project in this class, a tester would test how long it takes to find information and how long and how easy it is to book a reservation, and any other type of task. This would be tested for a mobile phone application as well. After testers have done these tasks, the interface will be corrected or adjusted to make the user’s experience go smoother. The result is that users are able to easily find what they need and complete a task with as few steps as possible.
- Accuracy – finding how many mistakes a user would make trying to perform a task or different tasks, and finding a solution to minimize these errors is the benefit of the accuracy principle. Also during this testing, it’s important to find out how fatal any errors would be and how the interface can recover from it with the right information and steps. Designers can then design the interface in a way that it can come back from user errors.
- Recall – building the interface in such a way that users remember the process of using it is a benefit of recall. If a user can step away for a long period of time only to come back to the interface and be able to remember how to use it, that is when designers know they designed an effective interface. If the interface is user friendly, that stays in a user’s mind. Feedback about how a product stays in the mind of a user helps the designer make the interface unforgettable.
- Emotional response – the biggest benefit of this principle is if it leaves a good impression on users. Did the user feel comfortable using the interface? Or did the user find it aggravating and confusing? Would any of the users recommend the product to anyone? User feedback is important because designers can improve the interface so users have a good experience using the product.
Designers that use development methodologies consistently help meet schedules and budgets, but they are not always effective to get results about users and making the interface user friendly. However, combined with using the four principles of usability testing, designers can be confident that they can product the most effective product. Using development methodology will ensure that the project stays with the guidelines the company is asking for, and their needs overall, but applying the four principles of usability testing will ensure that the user’s needs are met also. So, using a methodology and the four principles of usability testing is how a designer can produce a good quality finished product.
In conclusion, it’s very important to apply the usability testing principles all throughout the life cycle of the interface design. It gives the designer plenty of opportunity to make corrections to the interface and produces a good quality product for the company. If the user’s needs are met, both the company and the user are happy. In the end, the product is for the user, so meeting their needs is crucial for the reputation of the company. Although it is important that the needs for the company are met by using development methodologies, those same methods have to be kept in mind for the user, because they will be the ones using the end product.
References
Edrington, V. (1999, April). User interface design and usability testing. Retrieved from https://cdr.lib.unc.edu/indexablecontent?id=uuid:5581f676-fd7b-4803-98b4-451956079e82&ds=DATA_FILE
Shneiderman, Plaisant, Cohen, Jacobs. (2010). Designing the user interface: Strategies for effective human-computer interaction. (5 ed.). Pearson. Retrieved from http://wow.coursesmart.com/9781256766797/?CSTenantKey=coloradotech&spid=
Taylor, L. (2004, September 7th). Five keys to a successful usability test. Retrieved from http://www.marketingprofs.com/4/taylor1.asp
Vasile, C. (2013, June 27th). How to approach usability testing. Retrieved from http://www.webdesignerdepot.com/2013/06/how-to-approach-usability-testing/