Q. We don’t have time to do usability research. Won’t it slow down development?
A. When usability testing is thought of as “an extra step” or not planned for from the outset, yes, usability research will be perceived as “slowing down” the project. However, when usability testing is planned for and incorporated as a way to bring user input into the design loop at critical moments, it is ultimately a time- (and money-) saver.
During test sessions, you’ll watch representative users use your design based on realistic tasks and real-world scenarios. You’ll see where, when and why a design prevents users from completing their tasks, where it fails to match their needs and goals. In this way, usability testing provides critical, time-sensitive insights that will help focus design efforts and resources where they’re needed before it gets too expensive to “fix” later on.
Usability testing also helps build consensus among design teams, creating those Aha! moments that help focus collective attention on design solutions vs. opinions. Priceless.
> Why do usability testing? We already
know what our users want.
RESEARCH FOR BETTER DESIGN 