UX Research and Testing Tools

By Julia Salem

April 9, 2012

Throughout our research and testing for various clients and for MiniDates.com, we have come across a hefty list of tools that we thought would be useful for you to see. Here they are!

• UserTesting.com—This tool bridges the gap between no user testing and expensive user testing. UserTesting.com allows you to select users to test the product based on demographics, post the test process you want the user to perform, get feedback, and share with the rest of your team.

• ClickTale—As a leader in heatmaps, usability, and web analytics, ClickTale takes the guess work out of website optimization, conversion analysis and usability research. By knowing how visitors use your website with this too, you will be able to better target your audience, improve satisfaction, and increase conversion rates.

• WebTest—A free Open Source tool for automated testing of web apps. WebTest provides tools for unit tests (JUnit), and different kind of tests for apps.

• Usabilla—Collects design feedback on your site to help improve user experience. It’s features integrate usability tests in your daily work-flow without extra planning, time, or expenses. It only takes a few minutes to create a Usabilla test.

• Five Second Test—This tool helps you optimize your landing page for your mock-ups and wireframes. It analyzes the most prominent elements of your design, and then gives you results.

• Ethn.io—Intercept visitors on your site that fit the demographics you need to conduct user research. Have them take a survey on the stop and/or do a phone interview.

• Google Analytics—We all know this tool, but it is a great one for improving numerous aspects of your website. Besides measuring Ad ROI, it lets you track your videos, social networking sites and applications.  All of the data that comes out of this tool can definitely contribute to your user research and UX improvement as well.

• UserVoice—Simple feedback, knowledge base and help desk software for your customers. Main features include feedback collection, idea prioritization based on customer votes, fraud prevention, and email notification to let your customers know which ideas you’ve used.

• LivePerson Insights—Allows your business to take advantage of the insights hidden in your customer conversations. These insights allow you to create meaningful customer connections and improve the user experience.

• Silverback—This tool is for iPhone and Mac testing and it makes it quick, easy and cheap for anyone to perform guerrilla usability tests with no setup and no expense. Some features include capturing of screen activity, video of tester’s face, record tester’s voice, add chapter markers on-the-fly, control recording with the remote, export to Quicktime, and numerous others.

• Reflection—Mirror your iPhone 4S or iPad2 to any Mac running OS X 10.6+, wirelessly. This tool makes it easier to test on your devices through your computer.

• LiveView—Remote screen viewing app that helps designers create graphics for mobile applications. It works for iPhone and iPad devices. This tool is also useful for creating quick simulations, demos, and experience prototypes.

• dScout—A tool that helps companies to instantly gather real-world experiences, in-the-moment ideas and real-time feedback. dScout can have a ton of different uses, including user research, prototype research, audits, and more.

• KISSinsights—This tool gives your customers a way to tell you what they need. You can ask your customers questions when they visit your site to effectively conduct user research and testing.

• Morae—Gain insights into your product by recording user interactions, analyzing results, and instantly sharing them with anyone. Morae helps you identify issues in your products usability through software & web testing, focus group and interview testing, mobile device and hardware testing, paper prototype testing, pluggable architecture, field studies, and continuous improvement (Lean Six Sigma).

• Userfly—Provides easy user testing with real users and only one minute set-up time. You can watch videos of your users and see every mouse movement and click.

• UserZoom—This is a tool for user research and testing. Some features include building studies, recruiting participants, and real time monitoring.

• Loop11—Test remotely with this usability testing tool that enables you to test UX for any website and identify navigational and usability issues.

• Use It Better—Provides analytics for Adobe Flash websites by recording visitors activity on your website and then replaying it as if you were there.

• Treejack—Test your Information Architecture with this tool. It helps companies determine whether or not their users understand your proposed IA by asking them to find things on your site.

• ClickHeat—A visual heatmap of clicks on an HTML page that shows hot and cold click zones. By finding out how your users use each page, you can help to improve the user’s experience on the site.

• OpenHallway—Record users from anywhere – remotely or locally, then share video results with your clients or team members.

• Chalkmark—Test your interface usability with this screenshot testing tool.  An impression test screenshot or mockup of your site will show user clicks through heatmaps.

• Concept Feedback—Get expert website feedback for design, usability, and strategy.

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