Executing a full software product testing, the specialists check not only the system functionality, reliability, performance but also such aspects as usability, usage capabilities, design planning, and so on.
Usability checking may include user interface testing and design specification control. The specialists check the text readability, whether the buttons and blocks on the website pages are arranged conveniently, whether the navigation logic is understandable, etc.
Certainly, the preferences of all people cannot be predicted but the general principles should be met. A test team may use special product usability checking tools.
What are usability testing tools?
- Silverback - a tool for checking usability on Mac OS. By using it, one may record sessions, edit records, quickly export files. The tool price is fairly low.
- CrazyEgg - a tool, based on clicks. It consists of 4 parts: Heatmap, Scrollmap, Overlay report, Confetti (it provides a detailed information on each item components).
- ClickHeat - an open-source tool for collecting real data on actual users - time and place of click on a page. This tool usage does not affect the server load level.
- Clixpy - a tool which tracks the mouse movement, clicks, scrolling, and data input which are conducted by the website users. In order to record the user movements, it is necessary to add certain JavaScript on a page.
- ClickTale - the fee-based service for tracking and recording the user behavior on the site. The tool promotes the serious bugs removal.
Fulfilling usability testing, the specialists may use other tools as well. Everything depends on checking type (mobile testing, desktop application checking or website testing) and on the peculiarities of the product.