How to conduct user tests on a Web site

There are many methods to conduct user testing. Some of these are:

1. Expert Evaluation – The expert tests the site and based on experience of design principles identifies potential usability problems.
2. Usability walk-through – Test users are observed by a facilitator who records the users’ experience, comments and problems faced. These help in identifying usability issues.
3. Heuristic Review – The usability of the site is assessed against a set of usability design principles and results are used to improve the usability.
4. Survey – A set of written questions is given to a large sample of target users who evaluate the site and give their feedback. Feedback acts as a source for further improvement or to rectify problems.
5. Monitoring software – These are programs that generate log files to tell which pages users are commonly interested in, which pages users are leaving from, links being followed to get to the site, what kind of browsers are being used. For example, if a large number of users are leaving from a purchase order page, then there is a problem and the site needs to be adjusted.

Testing is an iterative process and more often the site is evaluated, the better it will perform.