Usability testing shows how your product surprises (not always in a good way), confuses, or frustrates users.
But here’s the bright side: those “wrong” turns are invaluable for improving your product.
This guide will help you make the most of usability tests, walking you through:
- The best usability testing methods
- How to handle challenges without pulling your hair out
- Tips for keeping the whole process (mostly) stress-free
One heads-up: Usability testing provides a lot of data. Our AI-powered research assistant will help you make sense of it. Create a free Marvin account to centralize your usability testing research in one user-friendly, automated platform.
Why Usability Testing Matters
Usability testing ensures your product works well for real people at any stage. It helps you catch the awkward, “Oops, we didn’t think of that” moments before your users do.
Here’s why you need to run usability tests regardless of your product’s current life cycle:
- Prevents costly mistakes: Fixing a confusing prototype can be cheap. Redesigning after launch? Not so much.
- Keeps users happy: Even polished products have flaws. Testing helps you spot them before your users become so unhappy that they churn.
- Improves team alignment: Nothing settles debates like actual user feedback. Testing gets everyone rowing in the same direction.
- Adapts to changing needs: People and markets evolve. Regular testing keeps your design relevant, whether you’re tweaking a feature or redesigning an old interface.
Types of Usability Testing Methods
Below, we look at the most common types of usability tests. Consider your context, goals, and user profiles before choosing one (or several) of these methods.
1. Moderated Usability Testing
This is the gold standard for detailed insights. It’s ideal for exploring complex behaviors or gaining context for user struggles.
How do you run it? First, you must prepare a design-focused interview and task assignments. Then, you set up a session with a live moderator.
The session can be in person or remotely. The moderator will guide participants through tasks, monitor their actions, and ask questions on the spot.
Tools you can use:
- Zoom or Microsoft Teams for remote sessions
- Lookback.io for live observation and session recording
- Marvin for data collection and automatic customer insights analysis
Example:
You’re testing a collaborative feature for a project management tool.
A user repeatedly clicks an inactive “Share” button.
When you ask why, they explain that they thought they needed to click it to set editing permissions.
This insight prompts you to clarify the button’s purpose and flow.
2. Unmoderated Usability Testing
Unmoderated tests let users complete tasks without a moderator present. They’re great when you need volume over depth.
While faster and easier to scale, unmoderated usability tests don’t allow real-time follow-up questions.
Participants interact with your product while their screens, clicks, or actions are recorded. You review the data later for patterns.
Tools you can use:
- Maze for task-based usability testing and actionable insights
- Optimal Workshop for navigation tests like card sorting and tree testing
Example:
You’re testing a new checkout flow for an e-commerce app.
During the testing, multiple users drop off at the payment screen.
The recordings show users struggling with an ambiguous “Add Billing Address” prompt.
The test leads you to redesign that step for clarity.
3. Guerrilla Testing
Particularly effective at spotting glaring issues, guerrilla testing is excellent for early-stage designs. Although not always structured, it’s fast, cheap, and effective.
Product feedback comes from anyone willing to help. You grab a prototype, head to a public space, and see who’s up for a quick task. You capture their reactions and struggles.
Tools you can use:
- Marvel for quick prototypes to share on mobile
- Google Forms to capture feedback during sessions
- Good old pen and paper for fast note-taking
Example:
You’re testing the main navigation of a travel booking app.
You find your participants in a coffee shop and ask them to try your app.
Several users struggle to locate “Trips” under a non-obvious icon.
This feedback tells you to revisit your iconography before further development.
4. A/B Testing
As the name suggests, A/B testing compares two design versions to determine which performs better. This data-driven approach is best for refining existing features.
You split your user base into two groups and show each a different design. Then, you measure their actions, such as clicks, conversions, or task completions.
Tools you can use:
- Google Optimize for A/B test setup and analysis
- Optimizely for more advanced testing and personalization
Example:
You want to optimize a call-to-action button on a SaaS platform.
Version A says “Start Free Trial” in green, while Version B says “Get Started” in blue.
After running the test, you find that Version A increases sign-ups by 15 percent.
5. Remote Usability Testing
Remote user testing allows participants to use your product in their natural environment. It helps you reach diverse users or see how your product performs outside the lab.
Users complete tasks on their devices, and sessions are recorded for later review. This method can be moderated or unmoderated.
Tools you can use:
- UserTesting for remote moderated or unmoderated testing
- Hotjar for session replays and user feedback
- Lookback.io for real-time remote observation
Example:
You’re testing a language learning app with users across different time zones.
A remote session shows several participants struggling with a feature that requires fast Wi-Fi.
This insight helps you prioritize offline support for future updates.
6. Eye Tracking
The eye tracking method looks at where users focus on a screen. It’s valuable for optimizing visual hierarchy, navigation, and key messaging placement.
Eye-tracking solutions typically combine software with special equipment for users to wear.
Tools you can use:
- Tobii Pro for hardware and analytics software
- EyeQuant for predicting attention patterns without hardware
- UXReality for mobile-based tracking of eye and facial expressions
Example:
You’re evaluating a SaaS dashboard.
Eye tracking reveals that users glance at a decorative graphic before reading the key metrics.
You redesign the layout to put the metrics front and center, increasing clarity.
7. Think-Aloud Protocol
This protocol is one of the most effective qualitative usability testing methods.
When users think aloud, you can capture their thought processes as they verbalize their actions. That’s especially useful for spotting usability issues that aren’t obvious through actions alone.
Participants narrate their thoughts while completing tasks. You observe their commentary to understand their reasoning.
Tools you can use:
- Marvin for transcribing user commentary
- Lookback.io for video and audio recording
- Figma for live prototyping during think-aloud sessions
Example:
You’re testing a mobile payment feature.
A user says, “I think this icon means to pay, but I’m not sure if it’ll charge me right away.”
Their hesitation shows you need to adjust the labeling for better clarity.
8. Clickstream Analysis
Lastly, here’s one of the powerful quantitative usability testing methods.
Clickstream analysis tracks the paths users take through your product. It’s excellent for understanding navigation patterns and identifying bottlenecks.
Analytics tools record user interactions, such as clicks, swipes, or scrolls. You analyze this data for trends.
Tools you can use:
- Mixpanel for event-based tracking
- Crazy Egg for heatmaps and click-tracking
- Amplitude for user journey analysis
Example:
Your e-commerce app shows users abandon their carts frequently.
Clickstream data reveals most of them exit after viewing the shipping costs page.
This insight prompts you to offer a free shipping promotion to address the issue.
How to Choose the Right Usability Testing Method
Selecting the best usability testing method is about more than convenience. You want to align your approach with your product’s goals, stage, and constraints.
Here’s how to pick one that fits your product, team, and users like a glove.
Step 1: Define Your Testing Goals
Start by identifying your desired outcome for the test. Clear goals will help you choose the most effective method.
| Desired outcome | Recommended method | Reason why |
| Exploring deep user behavior | Moderated usability testing | Allows follow-up questions to probe deeply |
| Quick and scalable feedback | Unmoderated usability testing or guerrilla | Faster setup and more participants |
| Validating design decisions | A/B testing | Provides clear data on which design works better |
| Testing in real-world environments | Remote usability testing | Shows how users interact naturally |
| Gathering qualitative insights | Think-aloud protocols or moderated testing | Provides rich, detailed feedback |
| Gathering quantitative metrics | A/B testing or clickstream analysis | Measures performance objectively |
Step 2: Consider Your Product’s Stage
Your product’s development phase will heavily influence your choice:
- Early stage (concepts and prototypes): You need informal feedback before you invest in detailed designs. Guerrilla testing or think-aloud protocols can provide it fast.
- Mid-stage (working designs): You want to fine-tune your workflows. Use unmoderated testing or eye tracking to see where users trip and how you can improve navigation.
- Late stage (final product): Right before launch, you need to validate your design changes one more time. A/B testing or remote usability testing helps with that.
Step 3: Account for Resources and Constraints
Your team’s time, budget, and expertise will shape your options. Here’s what to consider depending on specific limitations:
- Low budget: Guerrilla testing is inexpensive and quick to set up. It’s perfect for early-stage prototypes or basic usability checks.
- Tight timeline: Unmoderated testing scales fast, letting participants complete tasks on their own schedule. Results come in quickly without the need for live facilitation.
- Small team or limited manpower: Remote usability testing reduces logistical overhead. You can recruit participants, run tests, and analyze results without needing a large support team.
Need a smarter way to analyze usability testing with the resources you have? Marvin saves you time, automates feedback collection and analysis, and simplifies insights. Sign up for free and see how much it helps you make better design decisions.
Step 4: Match the Method to Your Users
Different users and contexts call for different testing approaches. Here’s what we mean:
- Widespread users: When users are in different locations or time zones, remote usability testing works best.
- Local users: For immediate feedback from close-by users, guerrilla testing or in-person moderated sessions offer face-to-face interaction.
- Specialized users: If you target niche audiences, consider eye tracking to see how they interact with specific visual elements.
Common Challenges in Usability Testing
Usability testing gives you clarity on what to improve. But only if you get it right. Here’s what could go wrong and what challenges might impact your results:
- Testing the right participants: If your testers don’t match your actual users, you’ll end up fixing the wrong problems.
- Participants giving inaccurate feedback: Sometimes, users sugarcoat their struggles or pretend they overstate how much they understand your design.
- Avoiding testing bias: A raised eyebrow or overly leading question can nudge participants to tell you what they think you want to hear.
- Overwhelming amounts of data: Sifting through videos, notes, click maps, etc., can feel like searching for a needle in a haystack.
- Handling conflicting feedback: One user might love a feature, and another finds it confusing. Deciding which feedback to act on can be tricky, especially if it’s split.
Best Practices in Conducting Usability Tests
Sometimes, the simplest user experience testing methods reveal the most valuable insights. The secret? Pairing them with a few solid best practices. These aren’t complicated rules, but they allow you to benefit from:
- Smoother tests
- Sharper findings
- Smarter decisions
Here’s what we’re talking about.
1. Write Clear, Task-Oriented Scenarios
Frame tasks in ways that mimic real-world use cases. Avoid overly specific instructions that guide users too much or vague prompts that leave them guessing.
💡“Test the login page” sounds simple, but it’s not clear what exactly they should test. Instead, you can try, “You’re signing in to check your order history. Show me how you’d do that.“
2. Test in Small Iterations
Don’t wait to run one big test at the end of development. Testing smaller chunks earlier lets you fix issues before they snowball into bigger problems.
💡 After designing the homepage, test just the navigation menu. Make adjustments before moving on to testing the entire site flow.
3. Create a Consistent Testing Environment
To avoid skewed results, every participant must have the same conditions. This applies to both in-person and remote tests, including device setup, instructions, and environment.
💡 If testing remotely, confirm all participants use similar devices, desktop or mobile. Equally important, they should clear their screens of distractions like browser extensions.
4. Prioritize Observing Over Explaining
Letting users struggle (within reason) shows you where your design falls short. Jumping in too soon to help them can mask real issues.
💡 A user hesitates at a dropdown menu. Instead of guiding them, watch how they approach the task. Their confusion might point to poor labeling or a missing default selection.
5. Debrief with Participants Post-Test
After the session, ask open-ended questions about their experience. Sometimes, users provide insights they didn’t verbalize during the test.
💡 “Was there anything you found especially confusing or frustrating?” can reveal details you missed while observing.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Now you know the theory, and you’ve been through many examples. Check out these quick FAQs for a full picture:
Can Usability Testing Be Done Remotely?
Yes, usability testing works well remotely. Participants complete tasks from their devices, giving you insights into real-world use.
Remote testing helps you reach users in different locations and scale your tests. If you use the right tools, it can be just as effective as in-person sessions.
What Tools Are Used for Remote Usability Testing?
Depending on the selected UX testing methods, you can use many tools. Maze is for task-based testing, Optimal Workshop is for navigation tests, and Lookback.io is for session recordings.
These tools help you track user behavior and gather feedback. However, pairing them with a UX qualitative research platform like Marvin will have the biggest impact.
Use Marvin to turn all your usability testing data into a centralized, searchable, and shareable UX research repository.
How Long Should a Usability Test Take?
Most usability tests last 30–60 minutes. This keeps participants focused while covering key tasks.
Shorter tests work well for single features, while longer ones explore complex workflows. Always respect participants’ time by keeping tasks relevant and avoiding unnecessary steps.
What Are the Key Metrics to Track During Usability Testing?
Track metrics such as task success rate, time on task, and error rate. These show how effectively users complete goals.
Combine them with VoC metrics and qualitative feedback to understand the “why” behind user behavior. Other helpful metrics include satisfaction scores and click paths.
Conclusion – Methods of Usability Testing
With the right methods and tools, even seemingly chaotic data reveals clear paths for refining your product.
All it takes to turn user behavior into meaningful insights is:
- Well-planned task design
- Careful observation
- Iterative improvements
Usability testing doesn’t need to be overwhelming. It just needs to be thoughtful. And if you want to make it even easier, use Marvin.
Our research assistant organizes user insights, spots patterns, and tracks progress easily. Sign up for free, and let Marvin help you uncover powerful usability insights faster than ever.
