One of the biggest challenges business owners make is choosing a service provider they can trust. Finding a reputable partner for any task requires plenty of time and effort, especially if all third-party firms promise the same thing. You can say the same when looking for a reliable usability testing agency for your business. With the plethora of UX agencies operating today, it’s easy to get overwhelmed when looking for a firm that conducts usability tests and suits your requirements.

Since Google, the world’s most popular search engine, included user experience as a ranking factor in the SERPs as part of the Core Web Vitals update, you should pick the best usability testing firm to work on your website. Here are several questions to ask your potential service provider to know if they can provide the best results for your company.

Question #1: Can you provide a sample of your usability testing report?  

Perhaps one of the essential things to ask your potential usability testing service provider is a sample output of an accomplished usability test. Usability testing suppliers have the expertise and experience in gathering and analysing required data. They will then come up with a report to determine what your business website or product needs to meet the user’s expectations.

If the agency provides you with a sample report, you must ensure that you understand all the information provided in their output. You must have a basic understanding of the problems they spotted, why and how these can affect users, and what the agency can suggest to fix the issue. You also need to check if the report contributed to the product’s overall user-centered design.

Question #2: Do you allow clients to observe the usability tests?  

It would be more efficient if you or someone from your team can observe how the usability tests are done to ensure all test goals are being met. The service provider who will handle the task should be transparent with their practices for you to know how they conduct a complete usability test.   

Watching how users interact with the website or product will allow you to understand the value of having reliable usability testing. . You could do it in person, but you can also monitor the tests remotely if necessary. In addition, you will also understand why usability testing is important for your company.  

Question #3: Will I get videos of all usability tests?  

Your company will greatly benefit from having recorded copies of the usability test. Since most user research firms document their tasks through video, you may ask them to furnish you with a copy of the test highlight on DVD or over the cloud.

Having a video copy will guarantee that the usability research for your company took place and was carried out effectively. It will come in handy if you have no opportunity to observe the test in person. But before hiring the user research company, you can also ask for a sample clip of a video they took for their previous clients (if they allow such) or a sample video of their own research. It will also let you check the agency’s professionalism and reasoning so you can decide if they are the right service provider for you.

Question #4: How do you formulate your questions?  

It’s necessary to ask the right questions for usability testing tasks. There are specific questions to ask before the test, during the test proper, and after the actual test. These questions will make or break the test results, so make sure that the test is relevant to your business.  

You must ask your potential usability testing service provider how they answer the questions. It must include carefully-formulated queries to help the researchers avoid making wrong assumptions about the participants. It will also let you get more context from the usability testing participants. Most importantly, ask the tester if they will include all the significant questions every business owner must ask their customers in the survey.  

Question #5: How will you recruit participants?  

You and your service provider must have a clear idea about who will be tested and where to recruit them. A reliable user research agency can properly source participants ethically, securely, and efficiently.  If there are types of participants needed that cannot be acquired through conventional means, the firm must also be able to find participants with more specific qualifications by partnering with recruitment talent.  

It will also help if you ask your potential usability research partner if you can suggest a list of people who may qualify for the test. You can also ask them how they will ensure that the required participants turn up during the scheduled testing.  

Question #6: How long will the usability test be? 

Another critical question to ask your potential usability testing partner is how long an average usability study takes. Unfortunately, it may not have a precise answer since the length of the study varies depending on the research, planning, user recruitment, and the actual test proper.  

Experts estimate that the time spent on testing could last up to 2.5 hours, depending on the number of users. The testers may allocate at least 30 minutes per user to extract the answers you need during the test.  

Question #7: How soon can you submit the report?  

It is vital to get an accurate view of the project timeframe if your company works on a tight schedule. Ask the potential service provider upfront regarding their estimated delivery period, so you can better understand how long the testing will take effect and when they can complete the report.  

If the usability testers cannot provide a precise time estimate, you need to ask them to break down the steps in the usability testing process.  

Conclusion:  

Understanding how usability testers conduct their services can help you determine if they are the right company to assist you in this task. By asking them the right questions, you will know how the agency works and how they plan to deal with your requirements.  

Searching for the best usability testing service provider does not have to be overwhelming. In Singapore, User Experience Researchers is one of the most reliable usability testing service firms that provide extensive tests for all industries. Send us a message at https://www.user.com.sg/contact to know more about our services.