The tasks in a usability test are realistic activities that the participant might perform in real life. They can be very specific or very open-ended, depending on the research questions and the type of usability testing.



Rutgers University

A usability-testing session involves a participant and a facilitator who gives tasks to the participant and observes the participant’s behavior.

Core Elements of Usability Testing

Tasks

The participant should be a realistic user of the product or service being studied. That might mean that the user is already using the product or service in real life. Alternatively, in some cases, the participant might just have a similar background to the target user group, or might have the same needs, even if he isn’t already a user of the product.

Participant

In this usability-test session, the participant sits on the left, and the facilitator sits on the right. The participant uses a special testing laptop, which is running screen-recording software. The laptop has a webcam to capture the participant’s facial expressions and is connected to an external monitor for the facilitator. The facilitator listens to his feedback, administers tasks, and takes notes. The photo captures the moment after the participant’s task, when the facilitator is asking him followup questions.

Usability Test Setup

The facilitator guides the participant through the test process. She gives instructions, answers the participant’s questions, and asks followup questions.

The facilitator works to ensure that the test results in high-quality, valid data, without accidentally influencing the participant’s behavior. Achieving this balance is difficult and requires training.

(In one form of remote usability testing, called remote unmoderated testing, an application may perform some of the facilitator’s roles.)

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