User Testing

User testing involves real users trying out a (prototype of the) interactive product to gather feedback about usability, functionality, and the overall user experience. This iterative testing method is crucial because it shows developers what works and what doesn't in the design, allowing them to improve the product based on user feedback and ensure the interaction remains intuitive and engaging.

Starting Points

• Nielsen Norman Group - User Testing - understanding the importance and approach of user testing
• Interaction Design Foundation - User Testing - comprehensive guide to user testing methods and best practices

Key Points

• You plan structured user test sessions and formulate concrete goals (e.g., testing specific interaction components) and hypotheses.
• You collect both quantitative data (task completion time, success rates) and qualitative feedback from users and analyze this to identify pain points in the interaction.
• You demonstrate adjustments based on user test feedback and reflect on how these improve the user experience.