Methods

TABLE OF CONTENTS

• Card Sorting
• Questions 
• Tree Test
• First Click
• 5-Second Test
• A/B Testing
• Usability Test Unmoderated 
• User Sphere

Card Sorting

Explore your target audience’s Mental Model and uncover how their knowledge domain is organized. 

Card Sorting is a user research method that helps uncover how users categorize and structure information. In this method, participants are given a set of cards with labels and are asked to sort them into groups or categories that make sense to them. This provides valuable insights into your target audience’s mental model and helps you create more intuitive navigation and content organization.

Questions

Collect text, scale, numerical, or date answers. Build the perfect questionnaire to understand what your users think.

Questions is a survey-based method that allows you to create customizable questionnaires to gather user feedback and opinions. You can include various question types such as multiple-choice, yes/no, short text, long text, numerical, date, linear scale, multiple-choice grid, and time questions. This method is perfect for understanding what your users think about your product, service, or interface.

Tree Test

Evaluate the findability of your website to spot Information Architecture issues.

Tree testing is a method that evaluates the findability of information on your website or app. It involves presenting users with a simplified version of your site’s information architecture and then asking them to locate specific items. By observing their navigation choices, you can identify issues in your information architecture and improve the user experience. 

First Click

Evaluate the effectiveness of your site’s information architecture and see how users get around and approach a task. 

First Click testing involves presenting users with a web page or interface and asking them to perform a specific task. By observing where they click first, you can evaluate the effectiveness of your site’s information architecture, layout, and design in guiding users toward the correct path or action.

5-Second Test

Measure your users’ first impressions and what information they take away. Find out if your page is effectively communicating the desired message. 

In a 5-Second Test, participants are shown a web page or design for five seconds and then asked questions about what details they recall. This method measures users’ initial reactions and helps identify if your page effectively communicates the desired message or captures their attention.

A/B Testing

Understand what matters to your users. Get feedback on your designs and iterate knowing what your users need.

A Preference Test, also known as an A/B Test, presents users with two or more design variations and asks them to choose which one they prefer. This method helps you understand what matters to your users and gather feedback to make informed design decisions.

Usability Test Unmoderated 

Build a self-guided usability study. Add a set of tasks to complete at your tester's pace.

Usability Testing Unmoderated involves giving users a set of tasks to complete on your website or app without the presence of a moderator. Users’ interactions are recorded, allowing you to observe how they navigate your site and identify any usability issues or areas for improvement.

User Sphere 

The User Sphere Test is a sophisticated moderated usability testing platform that supports interactive sessions on both desktop and mobile devices. This platform is meticulously designed with distinct roles—Researcher (Moderator), Tester, and Spectator—each equipped with specific privileges that enhance the testing process and ensure effective participation.

As the core controller, the Researcher can manage the session comprehensively, from streaming live for real-time observation to enabling or disabling communication tools like chat and microphone. This control ensures that the session proceeds smoothly and that the focus remains on the usability aspects being tested. Features such as session recording and screen sharing also allow for a detailed review and analysis post-session, making it invaluable for gathering actionable insights.

Testers, on the other hand, are given enough freedom to interact with the software, voice their thoughts through chat, and share their screens, thus providing real-time feedback and demonstrating practical use cases. This active engagement is crucial for identifying usability issues and understanding user interaction patterns.

Spectators, although passive, play a critical role by observing the session without influencing it. Their anonymity and invisibility help maintain the authenticity of the testing environment, as Testers behave more naturally, unaware of being observed.

Overall, the User Sphere Test leverages these tailored roles and functionalities to create a controlled, efficient, and realistic testing environment. This structure not only facilitates clear communication and thorough testing but also ensures that each session yields deep, unbiased user insights, significantly benefiting usability research.