Usability Testing

Usability testing evaluates the effectiveness, efficiency, and satisfaction with which users can achieve tasks in a product. Even teams of one can perform usability testing, with Usability Harmonics and Heuristic Evaluation not even requiring any external participants (though of course they can and often are used in that way).

In this section you’ll find detailed breakdowns of these effective methods for testing DCCs, both techniques are pro-active testing methods (meaning you engage to find out answers) rather than passive techniques like A/B testing. Active methods can tell you the ‘why’, which you can fold into the overall product direction and vision. The what (which can be derived from passive techniques) is of almost no use on it’s own here.

note

As ever, take what works for you, leave what doesn't.

Heuristic Evaulation

This method will be familiar to most, and is a safe place to start for people who need to quickly build up a list of defects.

Usability Harmonics

This is a framework specifically tailored to the evaluation of non-linear, open ended software like DCCs. It's also a fantastic way to level up your design skills as it can double up as a design post-mortem.