Never too late for user research and usability testing
We’ve heard countless times from those in the user experience (UX) community dreading that call from nervous managers seeking assurance that the App they have laboured over and is near ready for release will in fact be useful and useable. Understandably, by then it’s generally considered to be too late. UX considerations should play a significant part throughout the development lifecycle, particularly in the very early stages during strategy and ideation. It should not be the closing act.
We believe, however, it is never too late for UX activities, particularly user research and usability testing. When we get that last minute call, we jump at the opportunity to assist (yes, we still cringe). The insight gained from user research and testing can be invaluable even if performed late in the cycle. For example, it can still benefit risk planning for the impending release as well as long term product planning for the product roadmap. No one should ever feel that they missed the boat and that it’s too late to undertake user research and usability testing. Yes, the product released, or about to be released, is a fait-accompli, but in today’s world of agile development and expenditures being committed just-in-time to the next product increment, user research and usability testing can help shape upcoming product increments. Better to have that insight than not when planning the next increment or iteration.
It may not necessarily be a situation of getting a last minute call, either. It can also be a customer being fully aware of user research and usability testing but may not be convinced of the merits. For example, they feel more than capable of representing the needs of the users. Or they may be constrained from doing user research or usability testing (for budgetary reasons, for example). Even in these situations though, we never fall prey to accepting that user research and usability testing will simply not be possible in this environment. We pick opportune times to revisit the topic no matter where we may be in the development lifecycle. It’s our responsibility to do so as application development professionals. Anything less would be negligent.
Don’t fear the last minute call, embrace it. Never let up on the need to do proper user research and usability testing (with real users) even if attempts have been unsuccessful. Seize opportune times to revisit the topic (doing so diplomatically and appropriately, of course). It’s never too late for user research and usability testing.
