Testing and Evaluation

You can have a website that meets all of the functional requirements but if it isn’t easy to use then is it fit for purpose?

The usability of the website must be tested too

The core premise of usability testing is to:

• test your product in a real life situation with real users. 

• You will observe the users performing these tasks

• Gain feedback from the users

• Incorporate this feedback to allow improvements/refinements

What info can you collect to evaluate?

There are multiple measures that can be measured to evaluate the experience of a user

• Successful Task Rate

• Critical/Non Critical Errors

• Error Free Rate

• Task Times

• Subjective ratings or Likes/Dislikes and recommendations

• Eye Tracking Data

It doesn't even have to work yet

Usability testing can be conducted at the design stage using wireframe models. It would usually be conducted using ow or high fidelity wireframes. The earlier the testing can occur the easier it is to make changes.

Think Aloud Protocol

Think Aloud Protocol is when a user will be invited to think out loud whilst using a product. They will say what they are thinking and try to describe their thought processes whilst using a piece of software.

• This can provide instant feedback

• Direct Observation

• There is chances for an observer to assist users 

• Can be instant after task dialogue

The testers may be given:

• a persona — this may relate to the age or experience that the tester should exhibit

• test cases — a set of actions executed to verify a particular feature or function of the website

• scenarios — they may be asked to use the website to place an order or book flights

They use the low-fidelity prototypes under a variety of conditions, while they are observed. The observers make notes about any difficulties that the testers experienced and what alterations are required to the website design to make it easier to use the website.

Remember that the aim of testing is to ensure that your website meets the functional requirements. 

The following test must be carried out:

1. Input validation

2. Links and Navigation functions as intended

3. Media content displays correctly

You have to ensure that every field (where validation has been included) in a form has the correct validation by trying to get every field on the form to accept incorrect data.

You can also create test plans and cases by looking at the HTML code and looking for presence checks, range checks and default values.

Navigation testing is when you ensure that all of your hyperlinks and navigation structures function as intended. 

The following tests should be carried out and documented

• test the navigation bar links take you to the correct pages

• test all external links work correctly

• test that all pages can get back to the home page

• test all internal links work correctly

• test to check if there are any orphan pages (pages that are not linked to any others)

Media testing is when you ensure that any text, graphics and video display correctly and in the position in which it was designed to appear.

Different platforms and browsers can interpret HTML slightly differently. Not all browsers support all HTML5 tags for example. So it is important that you check your website for compatibility on different browsers and devices.

Browser Testing

• It is important that your website will work on all the main browsers, for example Chrome, Firefox, Internet Explorer, Safari, and Opera. Your customers will not use your website if it does not function properly on their chosen (or preferred) browser.

Device Testing

• You should check that your website is accessible on tablets, smartphones and desktop computers, as there are so many different types of hardware with different size screens available.

• The operating system is not a factor. It is the browser (or browser agent) that interprets HTML

Common compatibility testing can expose the following types of problem:

• • changes in font or font size

  • changes in the user interface

  • alignment issues

  • changes in CSS style and colour

  • scroll bar related issues

  • content or label overlapping

  • broken tables or frames

Just as in software development it is important that after testing the web site is tested to ensure that it is fit for purpose. This is when it must be checked against the specification to ensure that it meets all of the user and functional requirements.