UX to ensure investment in a digital transformation
Since 1980 the word usability as we know, began to have importance. The beginning was not properly for the use of screens on mobile devices, no; at that time it focused mainly on usability in industrial equipment, where operating technology, such as the one found in car assembly, was a fundamental piece in the correct operation or failure and long hours of training, fault correction and high maintenance costs. And it was in that year that the article published by Ericsson and Simon entitled “Verbal Reports as Data” proposed the first method to perform usability tests with its “Think Aloud Method”, or thinking aloud methodology.
Still in 2001, the National Autonomous University of Mexico, UNAM, in its area of usability of the Engineering faculty, used the Think Aloud Method in controlled tests behind closed doors. That was where my interest in usability started; Later I used what I learned by supporting the company to win the award for the best App developed in Mexico, Aire, for its usefulness and easy use.
Throughout all the application development implementations, whether mobile, desktop or WEB, in which Inflexion has support its implementation, I’ve seeing the complexity to reach a successful technological transformation, we know there is no a straightforward path to follow, but for the point of completing a task using an app (whether web or mobile), well-executed usability tests guarantee compliance with the purpose for which the development is carried out; without the need to later patch vision errors that destabilize a finished product and increase development costs.
In order to seek an assurance in the investment that overlaps the construction of a digital application, Inflexion has the service that the objective the creation of a usability plan, and which is based on the following elements:
- Usability Plan Template published by the United States Department of Human Service;
- Dashboard of the Usability Plan to increase internal communication;
- Definition of test’s objetives and how to measure them using ISO 9241-11 as a guide;
The usability plan includes establishing a guide base of the expected performance of any user when using the application, defining and validating measurements on it and identifying possible problems in the design that must be corrected so that an evolution of efficiency and productivity can be carried out. and end-user satisfaction as usability testing runs through cycles.
Having a plan is the first step, the execution of the test is the second, and it is where you establish how the test will be performed with end users. The methodology that we use in Inflexion for the execution of usability tests considers the following elements:
- Required number of participants;
- Script for each usability test session;
- Set of supporting tools to execute, record and measure test indicators;
- Measurement scale to be used in each indicator;
- Demographic information of each participant;
- Exit survey;
- Suggestion of improvement;
This information is captured in a dashboard to ease communication through all areas involved in the project (designers, developers, architects, client, etc) and here is an example of if:
This usability test plan will be in constant evolution as test cycles are carried out until reaching a point where hypotheses are not longer refuted by the test’s findings, something that generally happens after 3 to 5 execution cycles.
With all the tools that are available today, usability testing has reduced its cost and implementation time, making it a good option for those looking to secure their investment in a new product or to improve an existing one. Remember, there are many other things to validate for a digital product, but with an UX test you will have at least certainty that your users will be satisfied with your product.
