Use data to back up your UX decisions with a little help from these handy tools and resources.
When it comes to evaluating the success of your user experience strategies, it's essential not to let personal bias and assumptions cloud your view. For more advice on crafting a successful strategy, take a look at our article revealing 10 steps to great UX testing.
However, in this post, we're going to focus on the web design tools dedicated to testing your UX efforts. We'll start with some data testing tools and services (you can also try some of these web hosting services), and end with a few super-helpful resources to help further your understanding.
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UsabilityHub promises to settle your design debates using data
UsabilityHub’s key value proposition is 'Settle design debates with data'. You can’t beat that! This tool is a great alternative to more expensive remote user testing solutions on the market. It offers solutions for five-second tests, click tests, surveys, navigation tests and A/B preference tests.
Userbrain is great if you're just getting started with UX testing
Userbrain attempts to streamline the user testing process for smaller teams or professionals that are just getting started with UX testing. You can input a web URL and write a simple task. Userbrain takes care of the rest by recruiting for you and sending you recordings, five to 15-minutes long, that you can watch any time. A great way to get your feet wet with UX testing.
Remember that the best cloud storage will do wonders to help your team's process if you're implementing a new design system.
UserZoom offers a number of different UX testing solutions
This is a more robust option for testers that have a firm grasp on what data they need and how to capture it. If you use multiple solutions (for example, User Testing, Hotjar and a survey tool), it would definitely be worthwhile to look into consolidating everything into a tool like UserZoom. It also has the ability to test grouping expectations for navigation or categories (card sorting) among others.
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Sometimes you don’t need task-based remote screen recordings and you just want raw, anonymous data. If that sounds exciting, this tool is for you. Capture feedback from standards like heatmaps and conversion funnels to feedback polls, surveys and anonymous screen recordings on your site. You can set up a chat-like widget for quick surveys, recruitment or general support. You owe it to yourself to at least try this out.
A one-stop shop for information about interaction design
Time for something a bit different. This UX blog is a one-stop resource for interaction design. Learn about design systems, best practices, user testing, philosophy and even the business side of UX. The ongoing content is easy to read like a blog post, while managing to be informative like an educational resource.
It was actually Donald Norman, a co-founder of NN/g, that coined the term ‘user experience’ in the 1990s. The group has standardised much of the industry by opening up its findings to the public while giving guidance to others in the same profession. This UX blog offers a deep dive on methodology and understanding while also providing plenty of compiled reports and webinars.
This article was originally published in net, the world's best-selling magazine for web designers and developers. Buy issue 310 or subscribe.
Joshua has worked with agencies and Fortune 500s to refine UX strategies for nearly 20 years. He founded Candorem to lead UX execution through partnerships within established organisations.
