Customer Experience Testing vs Usability and UX Testing

Imagine you’ve got a great idea that turned into an app, and it’s ready to launch. Thanks to your powerful marketing, many people rush to the app store on launch day to see what all the buzz is about. But the more you look into the data, you notice that 90% of your users are uninstalling during the first week. You’ve done all the research, you have the AI features - so, where’s the issue?

As Toptal suggests, up to 90% of users may uninstall or stop using a digital product if it’s unusable or performs poorly. So, before launching, it’s all about asking a simple but important question: Will the user actually enjoy your product? 

When creating a product that your user can enjoy, aspects like usability, user experience (UX), and customer experience (CX) testing come into play. The better you can differentiate between the three and understand how they work in combination, the higher your confidence will be about your users’ satisfaction with your product. 

Before we compare how usability, UX, and CX testing overlap, let’s take a deeper look at each one.

What is usability?

Usability refers, quite literally, to how usable your product is. In simple terms, it is the bare bones of a digital product, without which there really isn’t any point to the designs or features you implement. 

When testing usability, we look at how intuitively users can use your product. This doesn’t always mean testing for functionality; usability primarily focuses on one key question: “Is this product easy and pleasant to use?” A good example, from our experience, are government service-related digital products. In theory, they fulfill their purpose, but they’re seldom pleasant to use. In turn, many users find themselves frustrated and procrastinating about doing their taxes. (Or is there another reason..?)

Just as importantly, usability accounts for all of your users, not just your team of high-tech-junkie developers. Therefore, usability encompasses accessibility, too. Ensuring that your product will be usable and intuitive on all platforms, screen sizes, and operating systems means you keep all of your users and their respective environments in mind. That can sometimes mean sacrificing originality, but the more of your users feel like they know their way around your product, the quicker they’ll be able to make a purchase or see your new feature.

Usability testing

Usability testing is usually done by UX professionals, designers, product managers, or other technical engineering roles. But what if we told you – there’s a way to test how a real user would feel about your product?

To conduct usability testing, we employ established techniques such as heuristic evaluation and cognitive walkthroughs. Let’s dive deeper into each of them.

Heuristic evaluation

A heuristic evaluation is a structured assessment used to determine whether the user interface of a digital product is fit for use. During this process, usability experts review the interface against a set of predefined usability principles, known as heuristics, to identify potential usability issues.

These heuristics are well-recognized usability guidelines and may vary depending on the type of product and its intended purpose. However, the most widely used set is Jakob Nielsen’s 10 heuristics for user interface design:

1. Visibility of system status
2. Match between the system and the real world
3. User control and freedom
4. Consistency and standard 
5. Error prevention
6. Recognition rather than recall
7. Flexibility and efficiency of use
8. Aesthetic and minimalist design
9. Help users recognize, diagnose, and recover from errors
10. Help and documentation

It is important to note that heuristic evaluation is performed by usability experts rather than real users. While this makes the method efficient and cost-effective, it also means that some level of expert bias may be present. For this reason, heuristic evaluation is often used as a complementary method rather than a substitute for user-based usability testing.

Cognitive walkthrough

In contrast to the broad approach of the heuristic evaluation, a cognitive walkthrough is a task-specific method. It focuses on how easily users can accomplish particular tasks, based on the principle that most users prefer learning by doing rather than reading manuals or following detailed instructions.

A cognitive walkthrough begins by defining the tasks that users are expected to perform. These tasks form the basis of the evaluation, guiding reviewers through the steps users take to achieve their goals.

Each task is broken down into detailed steps. For example, a typical login process in an app might look like this:

• Open the app
• Click the login button
• Enter the user name in the “username” field
• Enter the password in the “password” field
• Click the “remember my login” button.

For more complex or lengthy processes, diagrams can be used to illustrate the workflow, making it easier to follow and evaluate the user’s path.

Compared with other types of usability testing, a cognitive walkthrough is both fast and cost-effective. One of its key advantages is that the product does not need to be fully developed to perform the evaluation; sometimes, a sketch, wireframe, or prototype is sufficient. This early-stage approach allows issues to be identified and addressed before they escalate into larger problems.

There are many methods and variations for testing usability—the web is full of guides, and we've shared our two cents on the topic as well. When the information starts to feel overwhelming, breaking it down into smaller, digestible steps can make the theory much easier to understand and apply in practice.

Moderated vs unmoderated usability testing

Moderated usability testing

One of the ways we can test for usability is through moderated testing (often referred to as “research” or “studies”). 

Moderated usability testing involves a participant completing tasks under the guidance of a trained moderator, typically a UX researcher, designer, or product manager. Participants are recruited externally and should match the target audience, with minimal UX knowledge to ensure authentic behavior, while the moderator observes interactions and provides limited guidance to keep the session focused. The goal is to simulate a realistic, mistake-prone environment that closely reflects how users will experience the product in real life.

Cons of moderated usability testing

• No matter the format, moderated testing will require planning and scheduling, and any hiccups (like cancellations, miscommunication, or rescheduling) will lead to deadline delays.
• Participants can behave differently when moderated, because they’re aware of being observed and may not wish to (or feel confident to) reveal their genuine opinions.
• Because the participants need to have no technical experience, it may take time to find the right fit that matches the target audience of your product.

Unmoderated usability testing

Similarly, unmoderated usability testing involves a participant completing tasks on their own (while recording their screens), without someone guiding them in real time. In most cases, you’ll still provide a set of test scenarios or instructions ahead of time - so participants know exactly what to attempt.

At first, unmoderated usability testing may seem risky, as it relies on participants without UX training, but its success depends far more on preparation than expertise. A well-designed test plan with clear scenarios and instructions allows participants to work independently, offering greater scheduling flexibility and often more natural behavior. The main drawback is slower issue discovery, since problems cannot be identified and addressed in real time.

What is user experience (UX)?

Continuing with UX is no matter of luck, as you’ll soon see. User experience encompasses every element and detail influencing how your users feel when engaging with your product. It’s not solely about colors and buttons - it also includes factors like usability, load speed, and other subtle aspects often overlooked in typically satisfying products by users.

Ironically, users may not notice anything remarkable when your product works flawlessly—but they will remember it vividly when it fails. This pattern aligns with insights from Prospect Theory, the behavioral framework for which Daniel Kahneman received the Nobel Prize. The true aim, then, is to craft a product so seamlessly intuitive that its buttons, functions, and features fade into the background of users’ minds instead of causing unnecessary headaches.

Designing the entire experience of a product is a meticulous, time-consuming endeavor – but it’s also profoundly rewarding. As Spiralytics highlights, even small improvements in UX can generate significant returns. Therefore, creating an experience that encourages users to return and remain satisfied will elevate your product from “meh” to truly satisfying.

User experience (UX) testing

Like usability testing, UX testing encompasses a variety of methods, each suited to particular scenarios. While the options can feel overwhelming, some techniques are more commonly used and widely recognized. Below is a curated list of these methods to help you get started with the most established approaches:

• Guerrilla testing: Typically conducted early in product development or during the prototyping phase, guerrilla testing involves gathering feedback from random participants in public spaces. It’s a fast, low-cost way to uncover early usability issues.
• Prototype testing: As the name suggests, this method evaluates dynamic design prototypes before full development begins. Real users interact with the prototypes, helping designers identify potential improvements and usability issues before costly development work.
• A/B testing: This method compares two or more design alternatives for the same feature to determine which performs better. For example, you might test whether a 2-step or a 5-step checkout process leads to higher conversions.
• Eye-tracking: Eye-tracking technology provides insights into where users focus their attention. It’s particularly useful for evaluating design layouts, guiding redesigns, or optimizing the placement of key elements.
• Card sorting: In card sorting, users organize content items into categories that make sense to them. This method helps designers structure navigation, label content effectively, and organize information in ways that align with user expectations.
• Session recording: Session recording captures actual user interactions with your product. This approach allows designers to analyze real user behavior at scale, reducing assumptions and providing concrete evidence of usability patterns or pain points.
• Usability testing: A core subset of UX testing, usability testing evaluates a product’s effectiveness, efficiency, and user satisfaction within a specific context. It can be conducted in-person or remotely and is often combined with other UX methods for deeper insights.

Tools for UX testing 

Several tools can assist with UX testing, including:

• Figma: Mainly used for design and prototyping
• UserTesting: A platform that offers usability testing and the option to gather feedback from real, targeted audiences
• Optimal Workshop: Provides a visualization of how users navigate through your design

While tools are helpful, they are most effective when used in combination. No single tool can provide a complete picture, and mixing methods with tools often produces the most reliable results.

What is customer experience (CX)?

Unlike usability and user experience, customer experience extends beyond the digital product itself. It covers every interaction - from the moment a user becomes curious about your service and begins browsing, to how you support, engage, and retain them long after they’ve made their purchase and become a customer. Therefore, when the focus shifts from “user” to “customer,” testing and evaluation naturally become more business-oriented. 

Customer experience (CX) testing

CX testing evaluates the entire customer journey, focusing on the user’s overall experience with a product or service. Unlike traditional testing, which often targets defects or specific features, CX testing looks at satisfaction, ease of use, and emotional response across all touchpoints—from initial sign-up, through daily usage, to support or feedback interactions.

Because every product has unique features and touchpoints, there is no single “one-size-fits-all” approach to CX testing. Each journey requires a tailored strategy to accurately capture the user experience and uncover areas for improvement.

During CX testing, we examine the entire customer journey, analyzing omnichannel interactions, touchpoints, and overall product performance to ensure a smooth and satisfying experience. Key activities include UX testing, accessibility testing, usability testing, compatibility testing, security testing, performance testing, and more.

While these testing types form the foundation of CX testing, a truly comprehensive approach also incorporates behind-the-scenes activities, such as customer journey mapping, localization testing, business logic validation, and web analytics analysis. Combining these methods ensures a thorough evaluation of the customer experience from end to end.

Common CX testing methods

Understanding the different CX testing methods helps businesses select the right approach for their goals. Some of the most widely used methods include:

1. A/B testing: Similar to UX testing, A/B testing in CX compares two versions of a webpage, email, or other digital asset to determine which performs better. It’s particularly useful for measuring the impact of specific changes on customer behavior.
2. Multivariate testing: This method tests multiple variables simultaneously to identify the best combination of elements that improve the overall customer experience.
3. Usability testing: Evaluates the effectiveness, efficiency, and satisfaction of a product or service from the user’s perspective, helping to uncover pain points that affect the broader customer journey.
4. Journey mapping: Involves creating a visual representation of the customer’s experience across all touchpoints with a brand. Journey mapping helps businesses understand the end-to-end experience—from awareness to post-purchase—and identify gaps or opportunities for optimization.
5. Voice of customer (VoC) feedback: Collects direct insights from customers via surveys, interviews, social media, and reviews. This qualitative data allows businesses to align CX strategies with actual customer needs, highlighting trends and areas for improvement.
6. Surveys and questionnaires: Structured tools for gathering customer opinions, preferences, and satisfaction levels. These are useful for quantifying experiences across larger customer populations and identifying patterns or pain points.

Examples of business-oriented factors of CX 

We now notice that customer experience is one of the most important factors that will make or break your success. The way you care for a customer and their experience will impact your reputation, word-of-mouth marketing, customer loyalty, and many more factors - all of them ultimately impacting business growth. Basically, products without any meaningful customer care or attention can rarely be enough to sustain your business with a profit.

Let’s look into three business-oriented factors of CX to keep in mind.

1. Omnichannel consistency

Customer experience now spans every channel—websites, apps, social media, in-store, and more. The more channels you have, the more important it is to maintain consistency in quality, usability, and functionality. If one channel is polished and another feels outdated, your brand may seem unreliable. But when every channel reflects the same clarity and ease, customers enjoy a seamless experience, building trust and confidence in your brand.

2. Emotional journey

CX isn’t just about behavior—it’s about how customers feel. Managing the emotional journey can seem challenging, but prioritizing quality and attention to detail naturally creates positive experiences. Multiple channels also offer more opportunities to recover from mistakes and impress customers, turning potential setbacks into chances to improve.

3. Post-purchase support and relationships

Delivering a great product is only part of the story. Post-purchase care—handling returns, complaints, or changes—is crucial for loyalty. Even small missteps, like ignoring a customer inquiry, can erode trust. Transparent communication and attentive support ensure customers feel valued, making them more likely to stay engaged despite inevitable changes.

Symbiosis of usability, UX, and CX

Pulling together all we’ve discussed, we now see how usability is a part of user experience, and, respectively, user experience is a part of customer experience. None is more important than the others; their scopes simply differ. All of them are vital to ensuring your services and products are customer and user-centric.

For this reason, it’s impossible to guarantee a flawless customer experience without making sure even the smallest details – like usability – are perfected. Investing in quality throughout should never come as an afterthought, and trying to fix the mistakes after launching will cost you way more down the road.

Key points

Many teams pour their energy into advanced features and marketing, while overlooking the experience itself. Situations like these happen almost daily and lead directly to the uninstalls we mentioned at the start. To avoid this, prioritize quality at every stage and ensure the experience is satisfying for everyone - free of headaches, confusion, or frustration.

Usability, user experience, and customer experience shouldn’t be treated as separate bubbles. Because they create a layered system, the teams responsible for each should communicate and collaborate to deliver seamless experiences. This isn’t a one-and-done effort either; use every opportunity across all your channels to continuously improve.

Trust is built through consistent, thoughtful experiences at every touchpoint. When done well, seamless customer interactions drive retention, loyalty, and long-term business growth.

Every tap, click, message, and interaction affects a real person. How you make that person feel - whether cared for or dismissed - makes or breaks all your hard work. At the core of every great product or service, digital or not, is one simple notion: respect for the customer.