Usability testing doesn't take long, and it helps give your clients confidence in the choices you make. Here's a couple easy ways to do it quickly and inexpensively

Recently, I’ve been doing a lot of usability testing. The great part about it is, each new person I sit down with reveals a wealth of knowledge that would otherwise have gone untapped. The bad thing is, user testing takes time out of a busy production schedule, adding to an already stretched timeline and minimal budget.

But it’s worth it.

Why Do it?

Clients always want their deliverables last week. We do our best to deliver quickly— sometimes within ridiculous timelines. Because of this, we often don’t have time to put the design, product or idea in front of potential customers. Unfortunately, this can lead to myopia , and sometimes to a displeased audience and client.

If the product you deliver doesn’t resonate with your client’s audience, the displeasure frequently reflects back on *you*: You didn’t understand the “greatness” of the product. You didn’t convey that greatness to the customer. You just didn’t get the message, and the final product doesn’t perform.

It’s rare for clients to admit that their idea needs improving. When presented with actual data, however,they have an empirical foundation on which they can judge their ideas. This is where usability testing comes in.

Usability testing doesn’t take long,and it helps give your clients confidence in the choices you make. It’s also an excellent opportunity to discover major issues and address them before releasing a product to the public, and before the client begins receiving feedback.

Doing It Inexpensively

User-testing is fairly easy to do, and inexpensive. The best way I’ve found is to just sit down with a user,watch him or her, and take notes. It’s best to find someone who’s unfamiliar with your product or service, because the goal is to make your product as easy to use for first-time users as it is for veterans.

Generally, all this testing requires is some time and patience. However, if you’re testing a user-interface, screen-capturing your session can help you evaluate data after-the-fact. If possible, your video should be accompanied by audio, which you can usually capture via the software you’re using, or even a mobile device with a microphone. Watching and listening to the user can lead to great insights.

Doing It Wisely

I mention listening to the user because I’ve found this is where they generally express frustration. It’s hard to tell when a user is really having problems just by watching where they click or move their mouse.

Ask your test subjects to narrate their actions as much as possible. Encourage them to voice their intentions, expectations and frustrations . Have them tell you what they’re doing with the mouse: What they’re looking at and what they’re looking for. Stream-of-consciousness is what you want here.

And you, you shut up. Of course, give your subjects guidance and answer questions when they ask—but do your best to stay out of the way. If you over-direct, your test subjects won’t be as likely to explore, and you might get a skewed result.

Also, keep testing informal. Meet in a comfortable spot. Relax. Talk a bit. Keeping it loose will enable people to relax, talk to you more freely and use the product like they would if you weren’t looking over their shoulders.

Telling ‘em What To Do

Users seem to fall into one of two categories: those who like specific direction, and those who like to explore.

Both of these types of users are valuable, so it’s helpful to come to your session with two scenarios in mind: one that’s very directed, in which you ask the user to perform a certain set of tasks, or a specific workflow. The other is to simply let the users “go crazy” and use the product how they see fit. This is an interesting way to see what a user would do coming to your product “blind,” and can provide valuable insights on making your product as accessible as possible.

Other Methods

Although the most valuable data is often collected after a design has been developed and is usable, doing usability testing prior to production is a good idea. It’s important to create solid wireframes, if not fully-realized composites, and go through the same process as discussed above.

As well, if you have a serious budget and giant project, it may be worthwhile to invest in large-scale, “professional” usability testing. I’ve been fortunate to have been part of many sessions where there was a group of us sitting in a little room, watching 8 or so users interact with various user-interfaces. The sessions were moderated by a professional usability tester, and were highly focused, video-recorded and analyzed later. Of course, the data from these sessions was very useful.

I think, however, the small shop or individual designer can do quite well and get similar results from doing usability testing on the cheap.

What About You?

What’s your experience with usability-testing? Do you find it useful? Are your clients reluctant to pay for it? What sort of tips could you give other small shops and freelancers to do it on the cheap? Leave a comment below, and be sure to follow us on Twitter at @Mixonline.