This chapter discusses the essentials of usability testing. The essentials include the need to focus on the user, not the product, start with some essential definitions, know when to conduct small studies, know how to conduct small studies, know when to conduct large studies, and think of usability testing as hill climbing. The mantra of usability testing is, “We are testing the product, not you.” It means the extent to which a product can be used by specified users to achieve specified goals with effectiveness, efficiency, and satisfaction in a specified context of use. Usability testing means the activity that focuses on observing users working with a product, performing tasks that are real and meaningful to them. The testing is subdivided into two types, namely, formative testing and summative testing. Planning for usability testing should be influenced by the need to weigh the issues of time and money against the desired outcome of a usability study. If the desired outcome is to make progress by uncovering problems and fixing them—and the budget for testing is small—then the premise behind small studies holds true: better to test something than nothing.
