Benefits of UI/UX Testing
User Interface (UI) and User Experience (UX) testing definitely require a lot of time and effort to be done properly. However, even when you are looking to optimize your QA process, UI/UX testing should never be omitted because it brings many sizable benefits to the stakeholders. Here are some of them.
Higher quality of software
It’s that simple — a software product with a properly tested user interface and optimized user experience is miles ahead in terms of quality over its competitors without the same amount of testing. And the higher quality of software leads to a string of other positive outcomes for a new or established software product.
Better user engagement
Investigating the way users interact with a software product and finding out whether they are happy with the product in the first place builds a solid foundation for higher user satisfaction. The more users like the product and the more frequently they engage with it, the more likely they are to turn into loyal customers.
Fewer opportunities lost
If you have ever struggled with placing an order in an online store and then quit anyway because the site was riddled with bugs, then you understand how much of a negative impact the lack of UI/UX testing can have on a product. In other words, thorough testing helps you make sure that users don’t abandon your product and that you don’t miss out on revenue.
Strong competitive advantage
In a time when there are lots of players even in the smallest niches and industries, a business should use every advantage it can get. In many cases, a good, well-tested UI and UX can become that one competitive advantage you are looking for, especially when your closest competitors don’t seem to bother with this type of testing. As ubiquitous as UX testing may seem, only 55% of companies do it, which means you can get ahead of the game.
Optimized development cycle
Timely UI/UX testing helps you optimize your development process and release products faster. For example, when UX testing in the early stages of product development shows that users don’t particularly enjoy a feature you’re planning to add, scraping those plans saves your development team some valuable time and allows you to release the product sooner.
How to Perform UI/UX Testing
The process of UI/UX testing encompasses a wide range of activities and requires a well-thought-out approach with a lot of planning. However, the whole process can be broken down into just three steps. Here is how to do UI/UX testing.
1. Identify the areas you want to focus on
Both UI and UX design testing don’t always require the team to test the software product as a whole. A round of UI/UX testing can include just one or several elements that are crucial to the product’s success. The team needs to have a clear understanding of what they are about to test.
2. Plan and conduct the tests
Using checklists or other techniques to plan the testing process, the QA team needs to take their time to prepare for the actual testing. Then, when everything is ready, the team will run the tests, working according to plan and documenting the results.
3. Analyze the findings and make the changes
The final stage of testing UX and UI in a software product is collecting the discoveries, evaluating their effect on the solution overall, and working together with the development team and other project stakeholders to eliminate the issues and further increase the quality and user appeal of the product.
Final Thoughts
Both UI and UX testing are relatively new but rapidly developing types of testing. In fact, to be able to perform these tests, an extensive experience won’t cut it. You must also keep a close eye on design trends, learn how to use automation tools, and be able to carry out a detailed analysis of information constantly. UI and UX testing is not the cheapest service provided by the testing firm, and it is obvious that each business will choose services depending on its goals, capacities, and needs.
But it should be kept in mind that no matter what your project is or what features it includes, the main criterion for its evaluation (aka — success) is an attractive and convenient UI that ensures a truly great experience for your users. As one study points out, every $1 invested in a good UX has a return of $100, so it’s definitely worth your time and effort.