Nowadays, we are more and more present in the digital world. We’re using websites, applications and programs for various purposes and reasons. That’s why we spend a lot of time using smartphones or computers. Hence, it’s very important to focus on User Interface and Experience Design especially from the business perspective as it’s the foundation for customer interaction with product or service.
User Interface (UI) is important to meet user expectations and support the effective functionality of web or application. It’s the series of screens, pages, and visual elements like buttons and icons that enable us to use a digital product or service. User experience (UX) is the internal experience – opinions, emotions, and sensations – that encompasses all aspects of the end-user’s interaction with the company, its services, and its products [1].
In this article, I will try to explain how UI differs from UX, and how to perform UI/UX testing effectively.
User Interface (UI) and User Experience (UX) are related to each other and equally important for the project execution, but the specifics vary. UI is a way in which the user corresponds with an application or program, in simple words we can say it’s a visual aspect such as menu, links, buttons, colors, text placement or graphic elements of apps, software or websites. Visual attractiveness is a very important thing for UI, but the focus should consider the possibility of automatic, instinctive use of the solution. Even if the tool is very well developed and equipped with many helpful functions, but won’t be simple to use, the idea will be rejected by a potential user. User Experience is a broader concept than UI. Nevertheless, User Interface has a huge impact on it and can be defined as one of the foundations of a proper UX. User Experience concentrates on overall project management starting from idea to development and delivery, while User Interface is more specifically focused on the design of the finished product [2].
UI designer makes the visual side of the product, and the UX specialist checks how created design is corresponding with potential customers, returning to the UI designer with feedback. Effective cooperation between UI and UX designers is the key to market success.
The essence of UI/UX design is to create solutions that are very user friendly and meet the needs of modern consumers. UI/UX testing is a process to evaluate how users interact with application, web, or program, and what is their perception of functionality, usability, and aesthetics [3]. An important part of the UI/UX process is testing designed products or services to check if all elements are functioning well together. It helps to identify issues, fix those which might affect users’ experience and satisfaction and ensure that the users have a positive experience when using the application. UI/UX testing can also support assumptions about users’ preferences and behaviors and see how they use web application in real-world scenarios.
Testing the UI and UX required various methods and tools, depending on your objectives, resources, and development stage. The most common method is usability testing. This involves testing the software with actual users to see their behavior, reactions, and opinions for making the necessary corrections or identify any problems. Usability tests allow us to quickly assess whether the performance of a specific task is problematic for the user, or completely natural and intuitive [4]. Accessibility testing verifies that web applications are accessible and usable for everybody. Performance testing checks that web application loads fast and can handle high traffic and requests, while responsive testing ensures that web applications work well on different devices [5]. A/B testing is one of other type of testing method which checks impact of small or significant design changes to compare different versions of the software to determine better performance, user needs and expectations [6].
Effective UI/UX testing needs consideration of several factors. Firstly, before starting UI/UX testing it’s important to identify what are goals and objectives and determine what exactly needs to be tested. Additionally, focus on who will be a representative group of users and find the right people for collaboration. Furthermore, worth consideration is as well budget and resources availability. Next step relates to creating and conducting testing by choosing one of the common methods. Lastly, analyzing the results and applying changes enhances testing accordingly. Please find a short summary of key steps in effective testing presented in the graph below.
UI and UX testing are an important part of the software development process, therefore Brickendon can work with our clients to improve the quality of the software and make sure that end users are satisfied with the results. Brickendon focuses on UI and UX testing early in the development process and as a result any issues can be identified and resolved before software release. This gives a huge advantage over the competitors due to the concentration on continuous improvement and optimization. Our professional talents are responsible for designing web and mobile applications development through analyzing user needs, designing adequate solution concepts, creating interfaces and interactive prototypes.
Explore the latest Insights from Brickendon and ensure that your organisation is prepared.
Sources: