Mobile is a hot topic. It’s also hot in user experience, usability, and customer experience. While many web designers and product managers think they are in control of the usability and knowledge on their websites visited from a computer and mobile, particularly applications for mobile devices, they are aware that they aren’t mindful. Therefore, there is a massive desire to test websites that are accessed via a smartphone and tablet (mobile browsing) and, more specifically in regards to the user experience when interacting with mobile apps for tablets, Android devices, iPhones, Windows Phone 8, and so on, to improve the mobile app’s usability and user experience.
Some issues:
While a possible solution is to establish in-lab testing of user experience and usability, it must be justified by the amount of time, logistical complexity, and expense, and a lot of applications and “mobile-optimized” website designs and prototypes will not clear the test. They could be launched with minimal or any input from users.
An easier, quicker, and cheaper alternative is to run an unmoderated remote usability test and user experience test for the mobile app, site, or prototype. This will allow for a more significant number of potential users (since they don’t have to travel to a particular area) which means better alignment of possible Personas with the mobile application or landing page that is being evaluated in terms of usability, user interface, and usability.
Recording remote user interactions via a mobile App:
Many software applications allow for recording mobile browsing experiences remotely, by having participants download an application designed specifically for this purpose, such as UX Recorder, for testing IOS 5 and up and cameras that are front-facing for the mobile browsing experience.
This solution, however, and similar solutions don’t allow remote, unmoderated mobile app testing for usability and user experiences. They allow only testing the user experience of mobile browsing and not testing the mobile app’s user experience.
The myriad of reasons that testing usability of mobile apps for mobile devices is more challenging than the traditional usability testing of websites and testing user experience:
* Problems with or a lack of multitasking on mobile devices, which is essential to be able to have the usability test recorder application and the app that is being tested simultaneously
* The additional logistical and technical complexity of obtaining “approval” for apps under development and their interaction and interoperability to usability and user experience recording apps. One of the negatives to usability and user experience of this “closed garden” universe of mobile apps, however, that’s a matter that’s a topic for another time. …)
Using Custom Fixtures and Cameras:
Another approach that has been attempted is to employ a team of professional testers at home to give them an adapted camera fixture and camera and request them to record the actions they engage in via their mobile devices.
The disadvantage of this strategy is two-fold:
* The movements of the fingers of the user are obscure and make it difficult to comprehend what’s happening on the small screen in smartphone screens.
* The use of professional testers, instead of target Personas, may uncover the more prominent and more obvious usability and user experience issue. However, they are likely to fail to uncover the more fine-grained and “respondent/context/goal” customer experience issues of a suitable target Persona-usability goal match.
Is there a different way to do it?
Fortunately, yes.
In recent months, a range of apps has come out which allow projection of the “mirrored” image of a mobile device or tablet onto a computer or desktop screen. This means that the mobile user experience and usability test could be created using a remote webcam and screen recording systems like userlytics.com.
The screen of a mobile smartphone or tablet is recorded, free of any obstructions from gestures, which includes any change in state and every static or moving image, each set of videos, photos, and interactions, along with the spoken commentary as well as the “think aloud” protocol of the user. If the webcam option is selected, it will be recorded in conjunction with the webcam recordings for the user.
No additional hardware is required. Therefore, any participant from any part of the world can easily participate by downloading the recording application included in the setup. This allows remote mobile app testing of usability and user experience with no moderation or moderated if required, straightforward, quick, and cost-effective. That means mobile app developers, product managers, marketers, and designers can quickly and easily alter the user interfaces for their apps and mobile websites.
Best Remote Usability Testing Tools:
Instead of spending six months using an unsuitable tool, spend 3 minutes of your day and study the ones that work.
#1 User Zoom:
User Zoom provides different ways of solving usability issues, including at a distance or in the laboratory moderated or moderated.
You can conduct interviews with users as you use your app and view the sessions later.
Additionally, if you’ve never conducted a remote usability test previously — or require some inspiration, Zoom can help. Zoom has study templates available.
In addition to usability tests, User Zoom offers other analytics tools like benchmarking usability tests, testing of trees, testing cards, and surveys.
#2 UXCam:
Price: Free version, premium, and Enterprise plan available on the request. Try it at no cost.
Platforms: Android and iOS
UXCam is a qualitative analytics tool and offers a range of analytical methods that are only for mobile apps. It’s not your standard testing tool for usability. It doesn’t even have testers involved. But don’t fret. You can make use of it as a test tool.
UXCam provides advantages over tests conducted in person not provide:
- Observe real users, no artificial lab environment
- Reduce time and cost by planning and executing tests
- Follow user journeys throughout weeks, not just a single day.
- Review all pertinent insights on an interactive dashboard
It also provides session recordings and allows you to view every user’s interaction and other tools like heat maps, conversion funnel analysis, and heat maps. These tools help you find usability issues at a glance.
The extensive filter system makes it easier to locate particular users or sessions that exhibit a pattern of frustration.
UXCam runs within the background of your application with no impact on performance. Users can use the application in their normal environment, giving you real-world data and not data generated by an artificial laboratory experiment.
It is important to be aware. It cannot conduct interviews with UXCam since it collects and analyzes real-time data. Instead of testing usability, you determine how efficient it is.
You can integrate UXCam with your mobile application in just 5 minutes with just two lines of code.
#3 Testbirds:
With Testbirds, it’s easy to locate the perfect people who will test your mobile application. Test sites, wearable technology, or smart gadgets.
In addition to the quantitative and qualitative tools, Testbirds offers other mobile analysis tools like competitor analysis, remote evaluation, and remote interviews.
To start, define your target group. Based on that, the usability test tool determines the best users to test your app and gives you comprehensive qualitative feedback.
Afterward, Testbirds collects and evaluates the feedback and then provides the information and final report.
#4 User Testing:
Platforms Android as well as iOS Mobile and Web
UserTesting assists you in “bringing customers into every step of the process.” They provide audio, video, and written reviews from testers within hours.
The advantage of UXCam is that users are aware that they’re trying an application. You can listen and watch what users are saying about your app.
#5 Lookback:
Platforms: iOS and Android, mobile and web
Lookback is another tool on our list of tools. It offers three distinct kinds of usability testing:
* Tests that are live and moderated Tests are run in real-time. You can view the test participants and their screens and learn what they think of your application.
* Tests that are not moderated The test participants take their test simply by clicking the link. The program guides participants through the test as they complete the tasks.
- In-person: This test form is only performed when your participants use their devices within the laboratory. It lets you record everything that happens on the devices without the need for complex equipment or additional software.
CONCLUSION:
Usability testing is a crucial component of the app development process. With this knowledge available, a handy and user-friendly app is within reach. Are you in need of a bit of assistance? An experienced agency for app development such as SoftCircles, LLC, a Mobile App Development Firm in NY with a committed team of developers, designers, and engineers, can assist! Contact us now for a comprehensive estimate and build timeframe.