Why Bother with Usability Testing at All?
Usability testing isn’t a luxury — it’s a foundation. Without it, designing becomes guesswork. You may have data. You may have experience. But you don’t know how users will actually handle your interface.
It’s not enough to design something that works “as per brief.” You need to verify whether it works according to user intuition — and that’s often a very different thing.
Testing Destroys Assumptions. That’s a Good Thing.
In my projects, the most valuable insights didn’t come from fancy redesigns. They came from moments of user hesitation. That’s when we discovered:
- vague labels,
- unclear buttons,
- misleading icons,
- or simply too many steps.
Testing is a magnifying glass. It reveals what seems “obvious” only to the designer — not to someone seeing the interface for the first time.
You Don’t Need a Lab — Just Empathy and a Plan
You don’t need a Silicon Valley budget to run usability tests. Here are some lean options:
🔹 Moderated testing (1-on-1 observation)
You guide the user through a task while observing behavior — but don’t help or lead them. Watch. Don’t rescue.
🔹 Unmoderated testing (asynchronous)
Users complete tasks on their own. You analyze recordings or click data.
🔹 Guerrilla testing with your team
Ask someone from marketing, support, or even a colleague nearby. Any fresh set of eyes is better than none.
🔹 A/B testing
Once you’ve launched versions, compare performance: which CTA works better? Which layout converts more?
Testing with Friends: Great for Learning and Portfolio Projects
If you’re just starting out or building a UX portfolio, testing with friends is incredibly useful. It introduces you to multiple perspectives — and often catches things you assumed were crystal clear.
You don’t need perfect users that match your personas. At that stage, learning empathy and observing how people interact is far more valuable.
What If There’s No Time for Testing? I Know That Feeling.
I’d love to say I always have time and budget for testing. But the reality? I’ve worked on projects where I heard, “We don’t have time for that” or “Let’s not open that door — dev work will take too long.”
So I adapted.
I started asking developers for feedback. Sounds simple, but it works. If you have a good team, they’ll step into a user’s shoes and give you honest, precise comments. Often, they spotted my own blind spots — things no one else noticed.
This isn’t formal testing — but it’s real, technical, relevant feedback. And if you build trust in your team, they’ll speak up. That’s a win. Because fixing design is always cheaper than fixing production.
I strongly believe in educating teams about UX best practices — even if UX isn’t in their job title. The more they understand the process, the more they’ll help. You’re not alone.
If you want to learn more, I highly recommend my review of the book Don’t Make Me Think. It shares practical testing techniques and insights on communicating with teams. A great read — especially if you want to improve collaboration with developers and stakeholders.
How to Test Smart: Quick Checklist
✅ Define a goal (e.g., “can users figure out where to click?”)
✅ Create realistic scenarios (e.g., “book a doctor’s appointment”)
✅ Avoid leading language (“find the button” ≠ “click the ‘Book Now’ CTA”)
✅ Observe not just mistakes, but hesitations, expressions, language
✅ After testing: prioritize. Don’t fix everything at once — focus on blockers.
Testing Isn’t Optional. It’s a Design Tool.
Usability testing isn’t something you “add later if there’s time.” It’s a daily tool for anyone who wants to design with respect for the user.
Because the designer’s job is not to ask: “Does it look good?”
But to ask: “Does it work?”
And without testing — how would you know?
Back to all Articles
