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Software Testing - Usability Testing

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Software testing is designed with the intention that it can be used easily by a wide range of people. The usability testing is performed to enhance the overall quality of the software. It is also a critical part of software development.

What is Usability Testing?

Usability testing is all about the usage of the software by the actual users to determine their experiences while using it, and to find any flaws with respect to its design, and functionalities. This type of testing cannot be done by complete automation. The suggestions obtained from the end users at the time of usability testing are incorporated into the software. As a result, it ensures that the software is successful in satisfying the needs and expectations of the customers.

Only a few parts of the usability testing namely gathering data and some evaluations may be automated, however the actual testing needs to be performed with human intervention as it involves manual observation to collect feedback and overall user experiences.

But after execution of a few rounds of usability tests, some of them may be moved to automation which ultimately saves time and effort. In short, the usability testing measures how easily a software can be used by the customers. It identifies bottlenecks in the graphical user interfaces, features, and overall customer involvement with the software.

Characteristics of Software Usability Testing

Here are the key characteristics of software usability testing −

Usability testing is an iterative approach taken up throughout the development process to improve the software based on the customer feedback, hence it is not a onetime activity.
The usability testing is done with the only intention to comprehend how the customers shall deal with the software, and then determine the areas of improvement in it.
The usability testing finds a majority of loopholes that may impact the customers.
The usability testing focuses on verifying the software from the end users viewpoint, and how efficiently the software can help them.
The usability testing is mostly conducted by experienced, and trained testers.
Usability testing is adopted for any software which involves interactions with the users in the form of websites, applications, physical products, interfaces etc.

Importance of Software Usability Testing

Here are the key reasons why software usability testing is important −

The usability testing works towards improving the customer involvement, and satisfaction with the software.
The usability testing conducted right from the software prototype phase reduces the cost of software development to a large extent as it eliminates changes in the design in the later stages.
Usability testing helps to add more users to the software.
The usability testing increases the brand value and customer retention rates with the software.
Usability testing helps the software to survive the competitions in the market.

When is the Software Usability Testing Performed?

Usability testing is performed from the very early stages of the software development life cycle(SDLC), thereby helping to detect bugs early which saves time, money, and rework efforts. It is also performed once more just before the launch of the software in the market. It is sometimes performed after introduction of new features to check if they are user-friendly, and the existing functionalities have not been impacted by them.

Types of Software Usability Testing

The various types of the software usability testing are listed below −

1. Explorative Usability Testing

It is done to analyze the usability of the software and find flaws when the end users start using it. It gathers data on how the users respond while working with the software. It gathers the customer feedback which are incorporated into the software to improve its designs and features. It ensures that the developed software is intuitive and very easy to use.

2. Comparative Usability Testing

It is done to analyze the user involvement by comparing the usability parameters of various software or different versions of the same software. It determines how one software surpasses the others and accordingly prioritizes the improvements. It evaluates the user choices and preferences which help in taking decisions on the design changes and new features.

3. Assessment Usability Testing

It is done to analyze how easily the users are interacting with the software, and what factors can be improved. It measures the activity completion rate, correctness, and duration. The outcomes of these tests are used to make the user experience more optimal.

4. Validation Usability Testing

It is done to analyze any bottlenecks that impact the end user experiences. It accurately identifies the target users, their requirements, and use cases.

Various Phases of Software Usability Testing

The various phases of the software usability testing are listed below −

Planning

In this phase, the aims, objectives, and target audiences are identified. It also involves identifying the scenarios, use cases and various testing methodologies that the target audiences shall take up to run the usability tests on a specific test environment.

Conduction

In this phase, the tests are executed, and the target users are requested to share their feedback, and areas of improvements. All the user interactions are documented for future analysis. In case of any technical issues, they are resolved.

Analysis

In this phase, the outcomes are reviewed to detect the quantitative evidence of the usability issues. A detailed report is generated based on the conducted tests and their results. The high priority problems are addressed first.

Reporting

In this phase, the test reports are shared with the project stakeholders. A thorough analysis and discussions are conducted, to conclude how to address and prioritize the usability issues in the software. While the solutions to those issues are identified and implemented, they are monitored and tracked.

Various Methods of Software Usability Testing

The various methods of the software usability testing are listed below −

Moderated Testing

The end users work with the software in a controlled environment while a moderator examines and asks questions. It is also known as the lab usability testing. In remote moderated testing, the end users work from their sites while the moderators connect to them via video conferencing. This method is cheaper compared to the first approach.

Unmoderated Testing

The end users segregate the functionalities based on software architecture. It is also known as card sorting testing. In the tree testing methodology, the users follow the hierarchy of the content layout and identify usability issues in them. In the clickstream analysis, the users document the online transactions, to evaluate the browsing characteristics, and probable issues.

Eye Tracking

The eye movements of the users are tracked to identify the focus areas to identify interesting or confusing graphical user interfaces.

A/B Testing

Two versions of the software are compared to identify which one performs better with the end users.

Guerrilla Testing

It is an informal and quick form of testing performed by the available colleagues, friends etc to gather feedback on the software.

Advantages of Software Usability Testing

The advantages of the software usability testing are listed below −

The usability testing identifies defects from the early stages of the SDLC which saves cost and time.
The usability testing improves the customer experience thereby increasing the higher conversion rates.
The usability testing reduces the overall support cost.

Disadvantages of Software Usability Testing

The disadvantages of the software usability testing are listed below −

Usability testing is expensive and time consuming if it involves a large number of users.
It is not easy to identify the target audiences.
The usability testing does not cover the edge cases and complex scenarios.

How do we do Software Usability Testing?

We perform the software usability testing by following the steps listed below −

Step 1 − Identify the correct target audiences.

Step 2 − Determine the testing goals.

Step 3 − Monitor the users working with the software.

Step 4 − Identify the bottlenecks and areas of improvements in the software.

Step 5 − Improve the software based on the feedback and conduct further testing of the software.

Conclusion

This concludes our comprehensive take on the tutorial on Software Usability Testing. Weve started with describing what is usability testing, what are the characteristics of the software usability testing, what are the importance of the software usability testing, when is the software usability testing performed, what are the various types of the software usability testing, what are the various phases of the software usability testing, What are the various methods of the software usability testing, what are the advantages of software usability testing, what are the disadvantages of software usability testing, and wow do we do the software usability testing. This equips you with in-depth knowledge of Software Usability Testing. It is wise to keep practicing what youve learned and exploring others relevant to Software Testing to deepen your understanding and expand your horizons.

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