Usability Testing

Research focused soley on assessing the usability of a product. Usability criteria can include "ease of use", intended vs. extended or inintended use, intuitiveness, usage patterns (e.g. high or frequent, seasonal, periodic), and clarity of product use instructions.

Usability can be most effectively and validly assessed by observational research techniques, where consumers are observed using the product in natural settings, preferably where the user is unaware of the fact that they are being observed. It can also be tested less directly in more contrived settings such as focus groups, face to face interviews or questionnaire surveys.

The results of Usability Testing can be used for product redesign, re-packaging, branding, converting casual users to high users, enhancing product instructions or communications aimed at modelling various examples of product-in-use.