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How to use usability testing?

Should we use usability testing to decide whether we use left nav or top nav design?

  • For example, should you test both nav in the same session with each user? What if a user says they prefer one over the other vs the unbiased ability to successfully complete tasks with either one?

  • Answer:

    No. This decision should depend on the context - where do you want more space? how do you want to distribute the visual weight? How many links do the nav-bar has? Are you done with some techniques like card sorting and what do the results say? How many topics and sub-topics the content going to need? Answers to these questions should conclude in a meaningful decision. There are many helpful articles on designing navigational systems. You can easily search the web and find out. I think, this one is quite useful http://www.smashingmagazine.com/2011/06/06/planning-and-implementing-website-navigation/. Many a times, you would actually combine the approaches rather than going with just one type. Testing is a post-mortem for your initial analysis. You just validate whether the design decisions that you have taken are correctly working with the users. In fact, while taking such decisions you shouldn't first ask the users what they want. You'll land up with a collection of personal preferences that is no worthy input to your interface designing. Never ask the users what they want - here is Jakob Nielson for you http://www.nngroup.com/articles/first-rule-of-usability-dont-listen-to-users/. Usability Testing doesn't mean showing multiple design options to users and asking them which one they prefer. It rather means, that you first make the design with well informed decisions and then "observe and analyse" user responses while using it.

Kumar Bhot at Quora Visit the source

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This seems like a good choice for A/B or unmoderated testing (try http://www.usertesting.com for the latter).  Give users the same tasks with each prototype, and compare task success. Having said that, there are going to be other factors that play into user preference. If they are used to seeing a nav in a certain place for the type of design you are creating, then they  may prefer it regardless of usability, but hopefully the two will go together. Expectations and design patterns helps users navigate faster. Ultimately, what matters more is the clarity of the overall design, which is why you may want to get qualitative feedback as well. Where you put your nav is just one piece that has to be decided in context.

Eva Kaniasty

As with everything, there are 3 sides to this: As previously mentioned, it's an amazing choice for A/B testing + some qualitative analysis(you can try us for that: http://www.getjaco.com ) Overall product aesthetics and user expectation, I truly believe in the saying That before you reinvent something, understand exactly why - This is especially true for navigation components, where there are some very clear "standards" of doing things. Goal achievement - things should fulfill their designated role, and you should measure that by a variety of tools, but that should come after you really understand what's going on and how your users use this feature.

Danni Friedland

How important is the navigation? Most left-side menus only appear fully on the homepage and are collapsed on others. If you are designing for a site with heavy nav. usage like e-commerce; it may be a good idea to keep it always visible. The traffic landing on your product and listing pages will then have an easy way to navigate to other pages.Let both qualitative and quantitative data influence your strategy. Then test it out.

Cem Ruso

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