User Testing in UX Design: What Is It, Why It Matters, and Which Are the Main Methods

What is User Testing in UX Design

User testing is a process in which a group of real users interacts with the design of a product by testing its functionality so the designer can gather data to improve it based on what the participants did or said.

Every successful UX design agency conducts user testing because it is a vital part of the UX design process. Ít allows the designer to 1) pinpoint users’ needs, expectations, and difficulties and 2) evaluate how the target users interact with their product.

This helps the designer develop a more successful product that adds value to the users’ lives.

Why User Testing Matters

A well-thought-out user testing process is an essential step in creating the UX design, as it can bring relevant benefits to any app development operation.

Here are some of the main advantages of performing usability tests on UX design.

Helps Create the Best Product Design

User testing helps UX designers build the best design for users by tackling pain points, that is, the more significant issues users face while using similar products.

By detecting those pain points before finishing the product, the designer can create a better product that does not carry the problems identified previously.

It Saves Time and Money

Contrary to what may seem, adding this step to the development process does save time and money. When you include user testing from the beginning, you avoid wasting time on what later proves to be bad decisions from the user’s perspective.

For example, you might spend several hours organizing and structuring content only to delete and redo everything because it failed to resonate with the users.

As you save time by avoiding repeating tasks and correcting post-launch mistakes, you also manage to minimize resource usage.

Increases Sales

A better, more successful final product gets you more clients. Products that go through user testing are much more likely to succeed in the markets, which results in a significant and faster growth of sales.

It Helps Create a User-Centric Design

Performing usability testing ensures that the product is user-centric, that is, the focus is on the user and their experience, not on the product itself. That includes giving the user relevant tasks and creating a user-friendly environment for the testing process.

Provides Valuable Insights

User testing also helps you get more data on the users. When you are able to collect information on the user’s needs and expectations, you can create a product that responds to them. Thus, your product becomes the most appealing to the target audience.

Creates Happy Users

When you conduct user testing, you are taking advice from users concerning creating the UX design, in a way. That means the result is largely based on what the users were looking for in the product. And what makes a client happier than getting a product that is exactly what they expected it to be?

Main User Testing Methods

User testing methods are divided into different types of testing: quantitative vs qualitative, moderated vs unmoderated, remote vs in-person, and explorative vs comparative. Each seeks the same results – a user-friendly product – but the data each type of testing focuses on can differ.

So the choice should depend on the data the researcher seeks to collect and what type of product or service the design is for.

Other aspects, such as time frame and available resources, factor in the decision. For example, remote testing is usually a quicker and less expensive option as it does not require commuting and rental of a physical space to conduct the test.

Here are some of the main user testing methods in UX design:

Moderated or unmoderated usability testing

Guerilla testing

Card sorting

Session recordings

Lab testing