Testing Metrics - Website Usability Testing Guide
Testing Metrics
Once you have identified what you are testing, you must determine what metrics to collect. Your metrics will impact the type of test you conduct. Below are metrics you can collect, broken down by quality components which were introduced earlier.
Learnability: How easily a user can accomplish a basic task the first time on the site.
Measure learnability by recording how quickly your testers learn to use your website. Monitor the clicks or amount of time it takes your users to accomplish given tasks. Typically, the first task should take the longest as the user adjusts to your website. Be sure that the tasks used to measure learnability take close to the same amount of time for the ideal user.
Memorability: How easily can return users reestablish proficiency.
Measure memorability by testing a user on your website, and then testing them again after some time has passed. Can they complete the tasks quicker or with fewer clicks than their first attempt? You can also conduct post test surveys to ask users about your interface. For instance, ask them to identify your icons, and what those icons represent.
Efficiency: How effectively your users interact with your website.
Measure efficiency by counting mouse clicks, mouse movements or times spent completing a task as recorded by a usability platform or program. The more mouse clicks/movements
to complete the task, the less efficiently the user is interacting with a site. You can create a simple remote click test on sites such as UsabilityHub.com or in your analtytics platforms to determine where people click when asked to find information.
To the right is the result of a click test. Ten respondents were asked where they would go to find information about evictions. This test was free and took only a few minutes to set up.
Errors: How many, severe and permanent are user errors on the site.
Measure errors by the number of times a user navigates to the wrong page or chooses the wrong page when asked where information can be found. While this is not a ‘fail’ and often users will go on to successfully complete the task, the number of errors can highlight areas of improvement on your site.
There are several different types of errors to be mindful of:
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Slips: When a user mistakenly presses the wrong key- reduce data entry to avoid these errors.
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Mistakes: users enter incorrect information.
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User Interface Problems: Users navigates to the wrong place to find information.
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Scenario Errors: Errors in the testing script that wouldn’t affect real users.
Satisfaction: How pleasant is it to use the design?
Measure quantitatively, as on a survey scale, or qualitatively, such as feedback from open ended questions to solicit feedback about how much the user enjoyed the experience.
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