User testing services
User testing allows you to learn how users react and interact with your website.
User testing is a vital ingredient for creating and optimising your website. It tests how users react to your website, whether they can complete key tasks or goals as well as how they find the overall experience.
Methods of user testing
We use a mix of different methods depending on the needs of our clients and the objectives of the testing.
Moderated lab testing
Ideal for: Meeting users in person to obtain deep and meaningful insights from sessions
We ask participants to perform tasks on your site while an expert moderator observes their behaviour. The moderator is on hand to ensure that the user understands what's being asked of them, is at ease, and isn't in any way. This type of testing also allows us to interview the participants to learn more about their behaviour and motivations, providing real insight into users beyond how they interact with the website.
Remote unmoderated testing
In unmoderated remote testing, the participant follows instructions on a screen and has no interaction with a moderator. Participants are encouraged to ‘think out loud’ and provide commentary on their actions as they try to complete each task. The main advantage of remote over moderated testing is that it generally makes recruiting participants and turning tests around much quicker.
Remote moderated testing
Ideal for: Allowing you to run user testing sessions and interact with users no matter where in the world they are.
Participants are asked to run through tasks by a moderator while in the comfort of their own homes. This type of testing takes place using screen sharing or video conferencing software to allow for a two-way conversation. While this lacks some of the interpersonal element of testing in person, this type of testing enables us to run moderated tests with users no matter where they are in the world, ideal for testing international websites.
See our client success stories
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User research informs website redesign
Our pivotal user testing for the local government’s new website increased the take-up of its online services.
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User needs capture and UX recommendations
We captured user needs and created actionable personas and User Experience recommendations with immediate actions for the charity.
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Generation of valuable member insights
We carried out an audience research project with existing customers, which provided critical insights for Vitality to further increase member engagement.
Benefits of user testing
1. Direct, specific feedback from relevant users
User testing gives you a direct conduit to your target audiences to find out how they interact with your website and where they experience problems completing a task.
By carefully selecting participants that fit with your customers' profiles, we ensure that the results are relevant and useful.
2. Unlocking the context behind the data
The phrase 'big data' has become ubiqitous in digital. While quantitative data at scale can be extremely valuable at revealing trends and patterns of user behaviour, it often cannot answer the most important question - 'why'?
User testing helps to provide the qualitative data, adding the context and meaning to the numbers. Why did a user make that choice? What influenced their behaviour? Why couldn't they find the information they needed?
3. Challenge assumptions and preconceptions
One of the biggest dangers in working to improve a website is that we become overfamiliar with it. When we know how the site works and where information is found, it's easy to overlook problems that your users regularly encounter.
Making major decisions based on assumptions is a risk. Putting those assumptions to the test can deliver the reassurance needed to press ahead - or the reality check that indicates a different solution.
4. Validate findings from other research
Sustainable user research relies on a mix of different techniques, and user testing is just one of these. One source of insight often isn't enough to give confidence in a specific solution. Equally, two or more sources can conflict.
The hands-on nature of user testing makes it a good method of validating what your research has told you. Is user behaviour consistent with the feedback gathered through surveys or interviews, for example?
User testing is a vital ingredient for creating and optimising your website – it tests how users react to your website, whether they can complete key tasks or goals and how they find the overall experience.
Stephen Courtney, Senior CRO & UX Strategist
Read our guide about choosing the right user testing method
Watching users undertake tasks allows businesses to find out where their audiences may be experiencing confusion and any difficulties they are having. Findings from user testing give clear direction for design changes or A/B tests.
- User testing involves observing participants from your target audience using your website. The tactic is often task-based, meaning that users will attempt to perform a specific action on the website, such as finding a particular article, making a purchase or registering for a service.
- User testing enables you to better understand how ‘real’ users interact with your website. The process allows you to base your website design and development decisions on feedback from the people who will be using the website rather than just making changes based on the whims of internal stakeholders. In short, user testing removes unqualified opinions from the web design and development process. Run correctly; user testing will lead to a website that is both usable and able to meet users' needs.
- The cost of user testing depends on several factors. The first consideration is whether you are going to use any paid tools. While paid tools are available to help with user testing in most cases, free tools will suffice. Another consideration is how you will recruit the right type of users. If you have access to these people yourself, there may be a minimal cost involved here (beyond the likely need for an incentive payment for each participant). If you need assistance in recruiting specific users, though, then there are likely to be costs, potentially up to £100 per user, if you use the services of a third-party recruitment company.
- The terms 'usability testing' and 'user testing' are often used interchangeably. Different user researchers will generally have different definitions of each, so the answer may depend on who you work with. The main difference between the two is that usability testing is focused primarily on whether users can 'use' a website. In contrast, user testing tends to be broader, covering user needs and opinions. Researchers use user testing to understand whether there is a need for a new piece of functionality or to get thoughts on new ideas.
- Researchers employ user testing to understand better how your target audience interacts with your website or app. As a website owner, you will likely be among the worst people to make design and development decisions as you are too close to the product. Ensuring that your website or app works for your target audience and meets their needs makes perfect sense, as you can be confident that decisions made based on user testing will perform well when launched.