The statistically relevant global findings of remote usability tests are a perfect fit for business decision-making.
Remote usability testing is a fast and cost effective method to recognize usability issues and shortcomings in the experience or concept of a product or a service. The method allows the validation of usability requirements with a large group of users: people can simultaneously take part in the study regardless of time and place using a web browser.
Remote usability testing lets you know what works on a website and what doesn’t. The study results describe how the site has been used - with the voice of hundreds of users. We support the results with qualitative expert analysis that answers the question why the users behaved the way they did.
The benefits of remote usability testing
A large sample of the target group can be reached quickly and in a cost effective manner. The results of remote usability tests are statistically relevant usability findings that can be combined with more traditional surveys. These kinds of results are a prefect fit to support business decision-making.
The target group can be reached globally in addition to the fact that the sample can be large. Anyone can participate in a remote usability test from anywhere in the world using an Internet connection.
Statistical methods and numerical results can be included in the validation of usability requirements because a large sample offers enough data. Concrete numbers enable one to follow the usability development of the product during the product’s life cycle.
The user is in his or her own environment, which means that the test environment is really close to a genuine use situation. The users carry out the test at their own pace without an external moderator. Thus the users act almost as they would normally with the product or service.
When to use remote usability testing?
Remote usability testing combined with expert analysis fits to many phases of a project. In the beginning of a project it gives information on what is the level of usability of the existing version and where the design resources should be focused. During the latter phases of a project remote usability testing studies tell how the user interface works from the perspective of a large sample of its users.
However, remote usability testing cannot be a replacement for usability testing, which offers valuable qualitative feedback for a product or a service. Even though expert analysis helps in describing the reasons for the issues found in remote usability testing, it does not match the field-specific experience and expertise of the actual users. Remote testing does not work either if the material that is to be tested cannot be put online. These scenarios include the testing of delicate material or the phases of product development where there is simply nothing to be put online. Furthermore, the need for deep dialogue with the users and the need to observe any physical interaction are arguments for using usability testing as the study method. Of course, the best results will be obtained by using both of these methods together.
Remote usability testing simulates normal usage
In a remote usability test the site is used in the way it would be used normally. The users can go to the test environment via a link using their web browser. The environment simulates the product or service in question and guides the users to accomplish certain tasks. Furthermore, the test environment observes how the users accomplish the given tasks. In other words, a user carries out a remote usability test independently using a web browser without any external moderator or supervisor. Attaching different kinds of surveys to a remote usability test is also possible.
The studies are usually targeted at a certain group of users or at a certain segment of customers because the problems faced in real use will not surface when testing on users of the wrong target group.