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Usability Evaluation

What is Usability?​

Usability is one of the core components of user experience (UX), but the two concepts are not the same.

  • Usability focuses on how easy, efficient, and intuitive it is for a user to achieve their goals within a product. In other words, can users complete tasks quickly and effectively without confusion?
  • UX is broader — it covers the overall experience a user has with the product from start to finish, including usability, design, performance, and emotional impact.

Good usability ensures that users can interact with the product without friction, which in turn supports a positive overall UX.

What is a Usability Review?​

A usability review is an expert-driven evaluation of a product’s interface and interaction design. Reviewers test or use the product to identify potential usability issues, deviations from established design principles, and opportunities for improvement.

Usability reviews are commonly performed by:

  • Usability professionals and UX experts
  • Design team members
  • QA testers and acceptance testers
  • Subject matter experts
  • Customer representatives and real users

They are particularly effective when the user interface (UI) is already available (even as a prototype).

What is Usability Testing?​

A usability test involves structured sessions where representative users attempt real tasks using the product or a prototype.

  • Participants: potential or actual users
  • Moderator: a neutral facilitator who guides the session and ensures unbiased results
  • Observers: stakeholders or team members who watch the session to gather insights

The goal is to uncover real-world usability problems by observing how users interact with the system, where they succeed, and where they struggle.

What is a Usability Survey?​

A usability survey collects direct feedback from users through structured questionnaires. Unlike reviews or testing, surveys capture subjective experiences: satisfaction, perceived ease of use, and overall impressions.

They are especially valuable for:

  • Measuring user satisfaction
  • Identifying recurring patterns across a broad user base
  • Gathering insights that complement usability testing
  • Users purchase the product but find it confusing or frustrating, leading to negative reviews and loss of brand trust.
  • Users request refunds or abandon the product, not because it’s technically broken, but because they can’t figure out how to use it.
  • Users frequently contact customer support, increasing costs and reducing overall satisfaction.
  • Poorly designed interfaces may cause financial or health risks, exposing organizations to legal and reputational consequences.

Choosing the Right Usability Evaluation

When defining the required usability services, consider the following guiding questions:

  • Is expert evaluation required? → Usability review / UX audit
  • Should real users be involved? → Usability testing / Usability survey
  • Are we reviewing early concepts (wireframes, prototypes) or a live product?
  • Do we need customer journey mapping, competitor analysis, or data-driven insights?

Types of Usability Evaluation:

  • UX Audit – holistic analysis of user flows, data, and touchpoints
  • Usability Review – expert-driven interface evaluation
  • Usability Testing – real users performing representative tasks
  • Usability Survey – capturing subjective user feedback

Deliverables Clients Can Expect

  • Usability Evaluation – report or presentation with findings and actionable recommendations
  • UX Audit – detailed list of recommendations, competitor benchmarks, and data analyses
  • Usability Review / Testing – prioritized usability issues with suggested improvements
  • Usability Survey – summarized feedback with measurable user satisfaction indicators

In case you are curious about these services and want to know more, here are some reading materials and tools that can help. Here are blog posts and other information sources that either explain a relevant topic or show usability testing: