Evaluation and User Testing
The Evaluation process occurs throughout the design process, it allows for finished products to be evaluated which is used to collect information to help in further improving the quality of the product. Changes to a product, however, should be made through informed feedback from users. One method of obtaining this feedback is through ‘Usability testing.’
Usability Testing
Usability testing is a process conducted during and after the finished product has been made, it’s a way for users to test out the product and report with feedback to the designer. This stage in design is critical as it provides a great insight as to what works and what doesn’t in a product.
Why Usability Testing is Important
- Identifying problems in the design of the product or service
- Uncovering opportunities to improve
- Learning about the target user’s behavior and preferences
- Identifying if users are able to complete specific tasks successfully
- Establish how efficiently users can undertake predetermined tasks
- Pinpoint changes to the design that might need to be made to address ay shortcomings to improve performance
- Identifying whether the product works effectively or not
Reflection
This weeks lecture notes take us through the importance of Evaluation and Usability testing. I had learnt that obtaining any form of user testing in a project is better than obtaining none. It will allow the designer to implement specific design choices in order to fully satisfy the users needs. It is also important to have more than one tester, as having more testers can allow for more in depth feedback from different perspectives.
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