Website usability testing template

Find out why people struggle with your website by watching them use it. This template helps you plan tests with real users, see what works and what needs to be fixed. Perfect for designers, product teams, and developers who want to improve their website based on how people actually use it.

‍What is website usability testing?

Website usability testing is the process of watching real people use your website to see what works and what doesn't. You give users specific tasks to complete while observing how they navigate your site, where they get stuck, and what confuses them.

The goal is simple: understand why users struggle with certain parts of your website so you can fix those problems. This method shows you the actual experience people have on your site, not just the numbers in your analytics dashboard.

During a usability test, you'll discover:

• Which pages or features confuse visitors
• Why people abandon their shopping carts or forms
• Where users expect to find specific information
• Which buttons or links they can't find
• What content doesn't make sense to them

Benefits of website usability testing

Testing your website with real users delivers specific improvements that impact your business:

1. Find problems before they cost you money: Discover issues early when they're cheaper to fix, not after you've lost customers

2. Improve conversion rates: Remove the obstacles that stop people from buying or signing up

3. Save development time: Build features users actually need instead of guessing what might work

4. Reduce support requests: Fix confusing elements that cause people to contact customer service

5. Make better design decisions: Base changes on user behavior, not internal opinions

6. Outperform similar products: Deliver smoother experiences than competing sites

Types of website usability testing

Different testing methods work for different situations and budgets:

1. Moderated testing: You sit with users (in person or online) and guide them through tasks while asking questions

2. Unmoderated testing: Users complete tasks on their own while software records their screen and comments

3. Remote testing: Participants test from their own computers at home or work

4. In-person testing: Users come to your office or lab to test on your equipment

5. Mobile testing: Specifically testing how your site works on phones and tablets

6. Comparison testing: Having users try both your site and competitors' sites to see differences

What this template includes

This template gives you everything needed to run professional usability tests. Each section includes examples and explanations so you can start testing immediately.

The template covers:

• How to decide what to test and which users to recruit
• Scripts for introducing the test and explaining tasks
• Forms for taking notes during sessions
• Methods for organizing what you observed
• Formats for presenting findings to your team
• Plans for fixing the problems you find

Whether you're testing a new design or improving an existing site, this framework helps you run tests that produce useful results.

Why use this template?

Most teams know they should test their websites but don't know where to start. Without a clear process, testing becomes random and results get ignored. Common mistakes include:

• Asking leading questions that influence user behavior
• Testing with the wrong people who don't represent real customers
• Taking scattered notes that don't lead to clear fixes
• Creating reports that sit in folders instead of driving changes
• Running tests without clear goals or success measures

How to use this template

Step 1: Plan what you'll test: Choose specific parts of your website to evaluate. Pick features or pages where you see problems in your analytics or get complaints from customers. Write down what you want to learn and how you'll know if the test was successful.

Step 2: Create your test tasks: Write activities that match what real users try to do on your site. Keep the language neutral so you don't hint at the right answer. Make tasks specific enough to be clear but open enough to see natural behavior.

Step 3: Set up for testing: Prepare your testing space with screen recording software and note-taking tools. Create test accounts with realistic data. Make sure your website works properly on the devices you'll use. Run a practice session to work out any problems.

Step 4: Run the test sessions: Welcome participants and explain the process using the provided script. Give them tasks one at a time and watch quietly as they work. Take notes on what they do, what they say, and where they struggle. Ask follow-up questions after each task.

Step 5: Analyze what you learned: Review your notes and recordings to identify patterns. Group similar problems together and rate how severe each issue is. Focus on problems that affected multiple users or prevented task completion.

Step 6: Share findings and fix problems: Create reports showing the most important issues and suggested fixes. Present findings to decision-makers using the provided templates. Work with your team to implement changes based on priority and resources.

When to run website usability tests

Test at these key moments to get the most value:

1. Before launching new features: Check that new additions work as intended

2. After seeing problems in analytics: Understand why metrics are dropping

3. During redesign projects: Test the current site to set improvement priorities

4. When entering new markets: Ensure your site works for different user groups

5. On a regular schedule: Run quarterly tests to catch issues early

6. After major changes: Verify that updates actually improved the experience

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