Remote usability testing
Remote usability testing allows you to get all the benefits of a usability testing project, without having participants come into a lab. Instead, typical site visitors complete tasks on your website, online from their home or work. Remote usability testing allows you to:
- Monitor participants' ability to complete tasks on your website
- Gain feedback on how participants found the tasks
- Ask participants a series of questions to ensure all objectives are achieved
- Gain insights into user behaviour within a wide geographic spread
Webcredible carried out usability testing for us across two countries. It was an eye-opening experience, particularly being able to watch the testing live in Webcredible's usability lab. The way the tests were conducted was to the highest calibre.
Simret Dhillon, World Health Organization (see more testimonials)
Deliverables from the remote usability testing
Following the completion of the remote usability testing you'll receive:
- A full report outlining the findings, both positive and negative, and offering specific recommendations for maximising the user experience of your website
- An oral presentation summarising the main findings and recommendations
- Statistical analysis of efficiency, effectiveness and satisfaction - the findings are amalgamated into the same report
Benefits of remote usability testing
Remote usability testing gives you benefits that in-person usability testing doesn't. Benefits include:
- Ability to test participants over a wide geographical area (internationally if necessary)
- Very cost effective way of testing a large sample
- Quantitative and qualitative data collected
How we run the remote usability testing
P&O Cruises improves usability
P&O Cruises has gained real insight into the requirements of its users, ensuring all future site developments prioritise the user experience.
Read the Webcredible P&O Cruises case study.
The testing is done through purpose-built remote usability testing software which enables users to access the test over the Internet, without downloading any software. Participants are then prompted to complete tasks on your website. Remote testing can be done moderated or unmoderated.
Tasks set for users and questions asked will generally be the same as during in-person testing, although tasks will be more specific due to the lower level of flexibility with remote testing.
Moderated remote usability testing
During a moderated testing session, an interviewer will be in live telephone contact with each participant. Participants are instructed to think aloud at all times to provide insights into how they're finding the tasks. This will also enable us ask questions and probe further.
If participants fall silent for more than a few seconds they're gently encouraged to keep talking. Our moderators are expertly trained to ask questions and elicit thoughts in a non-biased and neutral manner.
Unmoderated usability testing
Unmoderated testing is suitable for validating results of in-person testing rather than as stand-alone research. With unmoderated testing, participants can conduct the testing at any time during the day from any location. We'll be on hand on phone and instant messenger if participants need any assistance.
Participants will complete the tasks without direct contact with an interviewer. Further information and feedback on how users found the tasks is gained through a series of feedback requests and questions generated to the participant through the testing software.
What next?
Please contact us by phone on 0870 242 6095 or by e-mail at info at webcredible.co.uk. We'll discuss your usability testing needs and requirements with no pushy sales pitch and no obligation to you.
