Free Monthly Usability Test

The Center of Excellence for Usability and Experience Design team offers monthly usability testing sessions at no cost to the Columbia community. To build a community that fosters human-centered design, we introduce practical usability testing to collect qualitative data about a website or application. The goal of these testing sessions is to help members of the community improve the usability of their websites and applications, and to provide insight for improving their digital experience. 

The scope of the testing session is limited to one project per client every six months. This free service is only available for a small or medium website (<50 pages) or application, with 3-5 user goals and participants per client.

Press applications on iPad - user experience research

Signup and Scheduling

If you want to find out more information about usability test or interested in working with us, email us at [email protected]. A member of our team will respond to your request within 72 hours. Depending on our availability, we propose a month in which we can conduct the usability test.

Our UX researcher will email you the client intake form that requires the following project details:

  • Project name or website URL

  • The primary and secondary audience

  • User goals, scenarios, tasks or activities

  • Log-in details, if required

This intake form also includes a URL to Calendly to schedule users for the testing session. The UX researcher will use the information provided by the clients to create testing tasks. We will then reach out to the client for approval. On occasion, the UX Researcher will suggest areas to test based on a review of the website.

The day before the usability test takes place, we recommend that our client contact the testers to confirm their attendance.  

Day of Testing

Testing occurs over the course of one day. Unless there are extenuating circumstances, no-shows will not be allowed to reschedule their session.

During testing, the UX Researcher observes the participant as they complete their tasks. They will be given the activities to do on the website or application and ask the participants to work through them. The session will be recorded for research purpose. We require all participants to sign a waiver allowing us to record them. We also ask the participants some demographic questions prior to the start of the test. They will also be answering some questions towards once all the tasks are completed using a Linkert scale. The client has the option to observe the session as they are happening if they choose to do so. We will broadcast the session through Zoom.

Analysis, Reporting, and Delivery

The client can choose to have the debrief once all the usability test is complete or receive a brief usability test report. 

In the usability test report, the UX Researcher includes the following information:

  • Project description

  • Participant demographics

  • Tasks/scenarios

  • Single Ease Question results

  • Usability issues

  • Recommendations

  • Possible bugs, if any

The UX Researcher gives clients a timeline of one week for report delivery and hands it off via email. Clients are aware and understand that the implementation of these recommendations is their responsibility. If the client wishes to engage us to help fix these usability issues or conduct other user research for the website or application, there will be a fee of $100/hr.