A qualitative and evaluative research method.
Moderated usability testing is a valuable way to capture honest and real-time feedback from a customer or potential customer. You should encourage the participant to provide beliefs about a product or service out loud as they navigate through a series of tasks or objectives.
By moderating the session, you and/or other researchers can effectively guide the participants and ensure that they are staying focused on the task at hand while not losing sight of the objective or task. In the end, you should be able to derive unique insights based upon oral or written feedback from the user or intuition based upon how they executed their tasks.
In moderated usability testing, you guide participants through specific tasks and scenarios while observing their actions, listening to their feedback, and asking follow-up questions.
It's a bit like having a conversation with the user as they explore and provide insights on what works well and what needs improvement.
Test Run
Before the official user sessions, it's crucial to conduct a test run to identify any smaller issues and possible improvements. Simulate the test in Infinum’s offices or via a video call. The participants should ideally include the user, the facilitator, and the observer.
Moderating sessions
- In the beginning, make sure the user feels comfortable and calm. Be friendly, so the user feels relaxed, but not too friendly because we need to get objective answers and opinions from them.
- Next, we use a script with Interview guides to conduct usability testing, and always keep the text in front of you. Don’t hesitate to read from it, but it’s ok to ad-lib a little, even if it means making mistakes. When the users see that you are comfortable making mistakes, it helps take the pressure off them.
- You have to make it clear before you start that nothing we do or say is personal, and they can always ask questions. It's helpful to tell them that sometimes giving the answers too soon will affect the testing, and you will wait until the end of the session to answer their questions. It’s important to mention this because it will seem rude not to answer their questions as you go along. If you want honest answers, it can be useful to point out you did not work on this project (whether that’s true or not) and that you are just overseeing the testing.
- Double-check if the participant has signed recording consent and NDA. If they did, turn on the recording of the session.
- If the participant's a bit quiet, it's ok to ask questions like “What are you thinking?” or “What do you think…”. Try not to start a conversation, but just to remind them to think out loud. Talking too much at inappropriate times or leading the user can affect what they do and say, which can ruin the research findings.
- Ask participants not to refresh their browser or go back in browser's navigation. This might affect Maze's tracking of their behavior.
- When users finish the study in Useberry (they'll get "Thank you" screen), ask them follow-up questions.
- Tell users how they'll get their reward, e.g., you'll send voucher code via email.
A google drive folder with templates and examples of usability testing interview guides → LINK
Template for prep email to send to your participants → LINK