In today’s competitive market, companies are under immense pressure to release new products and features as quickly as possible. However, releasing a product without proper testing can lead to disastrous results, including poor user experience, low adoption rates, and negative feedback.
When it comes to product development, ensuring that your product is user-friendly is critical to its success. One way to ensure that your product is user-friendly is by conducting usability testing. Usability testing can be an expensive and time-consuming process, but unmoderated usability testing can save both time and money while still delivering valuable insights.
In this article, we will explore how unmoderated usability testing can save time and money in product development.
What is Unmoderated Usability Testing?
Unmoderated usability testing is a type of usability testing where participants are given tasks to complete on their own time, without a moderator or facilitator present. Participants use a testing platform, such as Affect UX, to complete tasks and provide feedback on their experience. The platform records the participant’s interactions, including clicks, scrolls, and comments, which can be analyzed later by the research team.
The benefits of unmoderated usability testing
- No Need for a Moderator: Moderated usability testing can be expensive as it requires a moderator to be present during the testing process. Moderators are typically paid for their time and expertise, and their fees can quickly add up. Unmoderated usability testing eliminates the need for a moderator, saving both time and money.
- Faster Test Results: Traditional usability testing requires scheduling participants, arranging for a moderator or facilitator, and conducting the test in person. This process can take weeks or even months to complete. With unmoderated usability testing, participants can complete the test on their own time, which means that testing can be completed in a matter of days, allowing product teams to make changes faster.
- Lower Cost: Traditional usability testing can be expensive due to the need for a moderator or facilitator, testing equipment, and testing space. Unmoderated usability testing eliminates the need for a facilitator, equipment, and testing space, which significantly reduces the cost of testing.
- Remote Testing: Unmoderated usability testing can be conducted remotely, which means that participants can be located anywhere in the world. This makes it easier to target a specific audience, such as international users, without incurring travel expenses.
- Large Sample Size: With traditional usability testing, the sample size is limited by the number of participants who can be scheduled and the availability of testing space. Unmoderated usability testing can be conducted with a large sample size, allowing for a more comprehensive analysis of user behavior and preferences.
- Real-World Environment: Unmoderated usability testing allows participants to complete tasks in a real-world environment, which can provide more accurate feedback than testing in a simulated environment.
- Real-time Results: Because unmoderated testing is automated, it is possible to receive real-time results. This can provide immediate feedback to the development team, allowing them to make necessary changes and improvements quickly.
How to conduct unmoderated usability testing?
To conduct unmoderated usability testing, researchers need to follow several steps:
- Define the objectives of the study
The first step is to define the objectives of the study. Researchers need to identify what they want to learn from the testing and what questions they want to answer.
- Develop the test plan
The next step is to develop the test plan. This includes developing the tasks that participants will be asked to perform and deciding on the metrics that will be used to evaluate performance.
- Recruit participants
The third step is to recruit participants. Researchers can use online platforms to recruit participants, such as Amazon Mechanical Turk, etc.
- Distribute the test
The fourth step is to distribute the test to participants. This can be done using online platforms that allow researchers to distribute the test and collect data.
- Collect data
The fifth step is to collect data. Participants will record their behavior using screen recording software, which can be reviewed by researchers later.
- Analyze data
The final step is to analyze the data. Researchers will review the recordings and evaluate participant performance using the metrics that were defined in the test plan.
Also read: Unmoderated Usability Testing Checklist
In Conclusion
Unmoderated usability testing is a valuable tool for product development teams looking to save time and money while still receiving valuable user feedback. By leveraging unmoderated usability testing, product teams can quickly and cost-effectively test their products, gather feedback, and make changes before releasing them to the market. As the market becomes increasingly competitive, companies that prioritize usability testing and user feedback will be better positioned to create products that meet the needs and preferences of their target audience.
