Why is usability testing crucial?
Before launching any physical product to the market, you'll ensure that its performance is of high quality by conducting various tests. Now, replace that physical product with a website and digital software. You'll have to check its performance using usability testing.
When it comes to usability, designers have to be extra careful. They will have to strike the right balance between what they believe is ideal for the users and what the users actually think. And usability testing comes to their rescue to find this middle ground.
With this software, you can ask for the participants' feedback using surveys and forms. They will enable you to understand what they feel is the best user experience for them. This way, you can incorporate insights from their suggestions to build a top-class software product.
This article will discuss some of the best usability testing tools and software.
Top 10 usability testing tools and software
1. Lookback
It is a UX screen-recording tool. If you are a product manager or designer who wants to know how users interact with the application, this is the ideal software. The tools in Lookback will allow you to see what users see and capture their reactions in real time.
The software allows team collaboration. Researchers can invite other product team members to view the test and leave comments. They can also tag others on an internal hub. All these can be done without damaging the progress of the participant.
2. Optimal Workshop
Optimal Workshop is the best option if you need software for basic usability testing processes. With Optimal Workshop, you can test Information Architecture (IA) and assign tasks for users to complete. It includes tools for tree testing, card sorting and first-click testing. This will help you test your platform in many ways and identify usability issues.
3. UsabilityHub
This one is a remote user research software which will allow you to conduct various types of tests and spot usability problems. The key highlights of UsabilityHub are its range of design surveys, first-click tests, five-second tests and preference tests. It comes with an in-built participants panel. Over 170,000 testers are made available at a pay-per-answer price. Researchers can invite existing users to take part in the test.
4. Loop11
Loop11 is a popular online usability tool. It's best known for website usability testing, prototype testing and A/B testing. It makes use of GPT-4 to create AI-powered insights.
This is to increase the efficiency of the software. It facilitates combining both tasks and questions in tests to get a mix of qualitative and quantitative results. Since it incorporates audio, video and screen recording features, it is also good for unmoderated testing.
5. Userfeel
If you don't perform usability testing regularly, Userfeel is ideal for you. Here, you don't need to pay for monthly subscriptions. You can pay only when needed. This software allows you to create a list of tasks for users to complete and define the target audience. It then collects the recorded videos of users.
6. Trymata
It allows you to perform remote usability testing and gain insights. The results from these tests will allow your team to build products that users will enjoy.
You can test the customer's journey by running live product analytics. Unmoderated tests can also be conducted. You can then learn about the customer pain points by watching the video.
7. Hotjar
Hotjar makes use of clicks and mouse tracking to record real user behaviour. The live heatmap recording is a popular feature of this software.
Additionally, you can perform conversion funnel analysis and session recordings. You can also collect user feedback through surveys and forms.
8. UserZoom
This is one of the best software in the market to run all kinds of UX tests. Without any doubt, it can conduct both moderated and unmoderated tests.
However, it's more suitable for performing quantitative unmoderated testing. Here, your team can access a virtual observation room. The test results of UX tests come with a QX score. It is measured by mixing NPS + trust + appearance + ease of use.
9. Crazy Egg
Crazy Egg is another software like Hotjar which will facilitate you to see the way users navigate the website.
You can conduct A/B tests, access heatmaps, review session recordings of users and conduct surveys. It provides quantitative insights via confetti, scroll maps and heatmap reports.
10. Userlytics
Userlytics equips you to get both quantitative and qualitative insights from 2,000,000 users. You can conduct website usability tests and prototype tests.
It allows you to evaluate IA. Userlytics supports moderated testing. The think-aloud feature in this software will allow you to catch the thoughts of the users as they perform the tests.
Key takeaway
There are different usability testing tools and software in the market today. They meet different needs, perform specific functionalities and come at different price points.
Take these aspects into consideration before deciding on a software solution. If you want to learn more about usability testing and its uses, visit Imarticus Learning to join its digital marketing course.
