Live: Experience Study vs. Usability Testing
taught by: Seda Maurer
Session Summary
Usability Testing as currently known, which excludes accessibility testing as an integral part of the process, is neither complete nor sufficient. The proposed Experience Study is the complete testing approach that evaluates a website or application for its efficiency and success for ALL users.
Description
Watch this presentation in the Knowbility Learning Center
The aging world population is at a critical point for many counties. Technology has evolved to a point that societies are desperately dependent on it and the services it provides in all aspects of our lives. So many assistive technologies are readily available to everyone, and new ones are added to the market practically on daily basis. The current Usability Testing methods and approaches have not evolved to meet these changes and they don’t satisfy the users’ needs. As Sharron Rush pointed out as well, COVID has highlighted these facts better than any other force could have. However, many organizations still refer to accessibility testing as a secondary option and not necessary for the success of their products. They are not seeing the obvious, big picture! When the objectives of usability testing and accessibility testing are compared, they are not and can not be separate. Usability testers are not mindful and are not testing for all aspects and with all types of test subjects. This is often based on lack of knowledge and empathy, as well as organizational mandates. Experience Study is a concept of a holistic testing approach that will help the testers to discover all that will help in the success of a website or application.
Practical Skills
- The shortcomings of the current usability testing and the consequences of this process.
- The importance of the WCAG success criteria in the success of a site/application, which are overlooked in typical usability test, and their impact.
- The common-sense approach of the Experience Study approach which offers a wholistic approach to examine the success of a website and/or application for all users.