Each round will be different depending on what the main challenge is that we are testing, but usually, there are four main phases to a 60-minute usability test

Warmup and background 

First, we will ask general questions about the respondent. This is not only an icebreaker but also to confirm which personas they might belong to as well as confirm some of the items they answered on the screener.

In-depth customer interview

We don’t just test the interface in a usability test. In the beginning, we spend time understanding your customers’ behaviours, motivations and feelings. We can delve into the nuances of why they chose a certain product or how they feel about a brand.

Task-based scenarios 

We will ask them to complete certain tasks we have decided on in the testing plan. While they complete these tasks, we’re keenly observing, taking note of any problem areas or places where users get stuck. For example, test users might struggle to find the CHECKOUT button. In these instances, our team members ask guiding questions such as “What’s going on now?” or “Where to next?” to elicit more information about the user’s experience. These questions are not designed to frustrate the test user but rather to investigate tricky spots which may have been overlooked.

Wrap-up

We will ask for final thoughts about the overall experience. Usability tests can’t prove if customers will definitely use something outside of the test, but it’s sometimes rather interesting to ask them to imagine themselves using it tomorrow to see what they come up with.