User Testing

While doing user experience design, I've held in high regard testing users. The times I've been able to have such sessions can be counted with two hands—but the few I've had, have been very valuable. The tests I've hosted have been always digital, usually done either by providing an interactive prototype for the users to click through—and then listening to their thoughts directly...

 ...or by using a custom-made Google Forms document, including all the necessary steps defined in the testing plan earlier. To track progress, I've usually used key performance indicators, but usually, the most valuable value has been a boolean—did we get better or worse?

However, the most valuable aspect of user testing has always been the direct feedback that I've gotten from the users, and how I've been able to spectate their actions when they're trying to achieve the pre-stated goals. Sometimes I've had to be extra careful with the words and gestures I'm using, to reduce the various types of biases—the most typical being social desirability bias, and confirmation bias.

I've had success in eliminating these biases by not having group sessions, but 1-on-1 sessions instead.