This week’s class focused on usability testing — a critical step in the design process that helps uncover problems early and improve the user experience. We learned how usability testing allows us to observe how real users interact with a design, identify where they struggle, and gain insights that lead to meaningful improvements.
This week, I read Chapter 9 of Steve Krug’s Don’t Make Me Think, Revisited: A Common Sense Approach to Web Usability, which focused on usability testing. I found it a really interesting and helpful read, especially as I’m preparing to run my own usability tests for my project.
1. Test Early and Test Often
One of the main ideas Krug talks about is the importance of running usability tests throughout the design process, not just once at the very end.
He explains that it’s much easier (and less expensive) to make changes when you’re still developing the product, whereas if you wait until the final version, making changes can be difficult, frustrating, and costly.
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I found this advice really valuable. It made me realise that testing should be seen as a regular, ongoing part of the process, not just a final check. I definitely want to keep this in mind for future projects, even if it means running smaller, quicker tests more frequently.
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2. Who Should You Test With?
Krug also mentions that while it’s ideal to test with people from your target audience, it’s still useful to test with anyone, especially if recruiting the right users is difficult.
Even users outside the target group can bring a fresh perspective and spot usability issues that the team might have missed.
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This point made me feel a bit less stressed about finding "the perfect testers" when setting up usability sessions. It’s better to test with someone rather than no one, and small tests with different people can still reveal a lot of valuable insights.
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3. Seeing an Example of a Real Test
The chapter also included an example of a usability test and explained how the facilitator should act — staying neutral, encouraging the participant to think aloud, and not helping or reacting too much.
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I found this example really useful because it gave me a clearer idea of what a test session actually looks like. After watching the Nielsen Norman video too, I know staying neutral will be a challenge for me, but seeing these real examples is helping me feel a little more prepared.
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