Resources > Essentials > Usability Testing

Empirical (observational) testing of a design with representative users.

Introduction
Learn About Usability Testing

Key Articles
Beginner’s Guide to Moderating a Usability Study
Seven Common Usability Testing Mistakes
Success Rate: The Simplest Usability Metric
Usability Basics: Writing Tasks

Book Excerpts
What Makes a good Scenario?' from 'A Practical Guide to Usability Testing' by Joseph S. Dumas, Janice C. Redish

Related Templates
Planning and Conducting a Site Visit. Usability Toolkit - An STC Community
Templates & Examples | Usability.gov

 

Recommended Books
		Handbook of Usability Testing: How to Plan, Design, and Conduct Effective Tests Author: Jeffrey Rubin A supremely usable nuts-and-bolts guide for beginners… A daily tool of the trade for specialists… Handbook of Usability Testing gives you practical, step-by-step guidelines in plain English. Written by Jeffrey Rubin, it arms beginners with the full complement of proven testing tools and techniques. From software, GUIs, and technical documentation, to medical instruments, VCRs, and exercise bikes, no matter what your product, you’ll learn to design and administer extremely reliable tests to ensure that people find it easy and desirable to use. Amazon.com | Amazon.ca | Chapters.ca
		Moderating Usability Tests: Principles and Practices for Interacting Author: Joseph S. Dumas, Beth A. Loring Moderating Usability Tests is the place for new and experienced moderators to learn about the rules and practices for interacting that have never been described in one place before. Authors Dumas and Loring draw on their combined 40 years of usability testing experience to develop and present the most effective principles and practices - both practical and ethical --for moderating successful usability tests. To help usability professionals, students, and novices understand these principles, the authors provide videos from their lab that demonstrate good and poor interaction as well as commentary from a panel of testing experts on why certain techniques succeed or fail. Amazon.com | Amazon.ca | Chapters.ca