There are plenty of resources available online to learn more about user testing and usability tests. However, most of these resources offer limited information, so you’ll still have to invest a significant amount of time in research alone to gain the necessary skills. Online courses offer greater value in learning about usability testing as they provide details on the essentials of usability testing and even more details on the tools necessary to conduct usability testing. The following list includes the 10 best online courses on usability testing that you can start right now.
Unlocking the Value of Usability Testing in UX Design and Development
Usability testing is a game-changer when it comes to UX design and development. It’s all about making sure that a product is not just user-friendly, but also efficient and enjoyable for its target audience. When designers and developers put usability tests to work, they can spot potential problems, get valuable feedback, and fine-tune their creations to keep users happy and engaged. And in today’s ever-changing digital world, the need for experts in usability testing is on the rise. So, without further ado, let’s dive into the top 10 online courses that’ll give you the skills you need to shine in the exciting realm of UX design and development.
1. Usability Testing Boot Camp by Dr. David Travis
This comprehensive online course provides a start-to-finish understanding of usability testing, starting from the achievement of buy-in from management and ending with how to persuade developers to take action using the rs you’ve gained.
What you will learn:
- Usability test plan structuring.
- How to recruit the right participants.
- Generate test tasks relevant to your users and the business.
- Design usability tests that meet international standards.
- Master usability test moderation.
- Adapt industry-standard forms and templates for your own tests.
Length: 48 Lectures with quizzes and bonus materials, 8 hours and 21 minutes of video content.
Price: $49.99
2. Diploma in Design Thinking – Introduction to Usability Testing
The course covers the basics of usability testing – how it should be carried out and who should be your usability testers. It also includes details on design freedom and who will evaluate the design, the importance of debriefing, and prototype fidelity.
What you will learn:
- Describe the importance of usability testing.
- Explain why you should have users evaluate your design.
- Explain design freedom and prototype fidelity.
- Discuss why you should record your results.
- Explain the purpose of pitching your design.
- Describe what a design rationale is.
Length: 2-3 hours
Price: Free with Signup
3. Conducting Usability Testing by Frank Spillers
Frank Spillers, CEO of ExperienceDynamics.com, offers to answer specific questions that you may ask about the status of your website and business and offers an evidence-based approach to answering these questions.
What you will learn:
- How to conduct usability testing effectively.
- How to configure a usability test and set test goals.
- How to pull off a usability test plan using best practices.
- How to report on your usability test observations.
- Best practice tips for running usability tests.
Length: 4 hours and 29 minutes of content
Price: Free
4. Usability Testing Course by Online Learning
The Usability Testing Course is a comprehensive, 7-week course that is designed to provide you in extreme detail the steps involved in usability testing such as planning, preparation, and conducting a test, as well as data gathering and reporting of the findings of the test.
What you will learn:
- How to plan a usability test.
- How to create test objectives.
- How to profile the user.
- How to select the right test.
- How to select the environment.
- How to prepare the test materials.
- How to conduct a one-on-one interview.
- How to analyze and report on the results of the usability test.
Length: Over 200 pages of course materials, 7 weeks at 4 hours a week
Price: $259.00
5. UX Foundations: Usability Testing by Chris Nodder (LinkedIn Learning)
Author Chris Nodder teaches you how to conduct a usability test to identify what your users need from your website or software and select areas that where improvements are made in order to have the biggest impact.
What you will learn:U
- How to design a study to answer the right questions.
- How to recruit the right participants.
- How to set up the test environment.
- How to moderate and observe a usability test.
- How to interact with participants.
- How to ask the right questions.
- How to analyze results.
Length: 1 hour and 29 minutes
Price: $24.99
6. User Experience (UX): The Ultimate Guide to Usability and UX by Dr. David Travis
David Travis offers an even more in-depth look at usability in this comprehensive online course about user experience. Here, you are introduced to the importance of creating user-centric designs and techniques for achieving good usability, along with conducting usability testing as a source of data.
What you will learn:
- Plan field visits to end users.
- Create personas, user stories, red routes, and user journey maps.
- Uncover and describe users’ mental models.
- Choose appropriate schemes for classifying and organizing information.
- Design and conduct online and offline card sorting sessions.
- Design usability tests to measure time on task, success rate, and user satisfaction.
- Moderate a usability test and prioritize the observations.
- Evaluate the usability of systems by applying usability heuristics.
Length: 140 Lectures with over 13 hours of video content
Price: $194.99
7. Evaluating Designs with Users by Mark W. Newman
This online course is part of the User Experience (UX) Research and Design MicroMasters Program offered by MichiganX. In this course, you will learn how to design and conduct tests with users in order to create effective designs that appeal to the users. This tells you how effective your design is. The course will be handled by University of Michigan School of Information Associate Professor Mark W. Newman.
What you will learn:
- Different approaches to usability testing and their appropriate use.
- How to design an effective usability test.
- How to run an effective usability test to get the most information possible.
- Analyze and report on usability testing.
Length: 4 weeks, 3 to 4 hours each week
Price: Free
8. Fast-Start Usability Testing and UX Research by Matthew Nuzum
If you want to learn about usability testing and do it fast, then this course is for you. After the short 2.5-hour course, you will be able to learn the basics of usability testing and UX research, know how to recruit the best users for studies, and discover real issues users experience when using your products.
What you will learn:
- Capture actionable and measurable data.
- Run professional-quality usability testing sessions and do UX research.
- Recruit the right testers.
- Ask questions that are free from bias.
- Do remote or in-person testing sessions.
Length: 2.5 hours of on-demand video
Price: $54.99
9. How to Carry Out a Usability Expert Review by Dr. David Travis
Get more in-depth into usability testing with this specialized course taught by the always brilliant Dr. David Travis. This seminar reveals the practitioner secrets behind expert reviews and will teach you how to think like a usability expert.
What you will learn:
- Appreciate the difference between a usability inspection and someone’s opinion.
- Apply Jakob Nielsen’s heuristic evaluation technique to software and websites.
- Uncover elements of your design that lead new users to make errors.
- Learn and practice quick techniques for carrying out usability reviews of prototypes and finished products.
Length: 5.5 hours of on-demand video
Price: $49.99
10. Planning and Executing a Usability Test by Manish Vashist
As a course geared for beginners, you can learn quick and practical usability testing techniques and apply these techniques to your usability testing strategies. You will learn essential techniques that range from test setup to planning & execution.
What you will learn:
- Where UT fits in the design process.
- What the different types of tests are.
- How to build a usability test protocol.
- How to initiate a session.
- The different types of questions to ask and the right number of participants for a session.
- How to screen participants.
- Many more.
Length: 10 downloadable resources, 1 hour on-demand video
Price: $19.99
Summing up: choosing the right user testing course for you
In a nutshell, user testing is your ticket to creating user-centric products that really hit the mark. To find the right course for you, think about where you’re at with your current knowledge and experience, as well as the specific aspects of user testing that interest you most. If you’re just starting out, consider kicking things off with courses like “Planning and Executing a Usability Test” by Manish Vashist or “Diploma in Design Thinking – Introduction to Usability Testing.” For those who already have the basics down pat, more advanced courses like “Usability Testing Boot Camp” by Dr. David Travis or “User Experience (UX): The Ultimate Guide to Usability and UX” are sure to take your skills to the next level.
Keep in mind things like course duration, price, and whether there’s a certificate up for grabs when you’re weighing up your options. Once you find the right course (or courses!) for you, you’ll be well on your way to mastering the ins and outs of usability testing and creating top-notch products that users will love.
Your next step: start user testing
Well, what use is all that newly-acquired knowledge if you’re not going to put it to good use? Luckily for you, you can take advantage of Userbrain’s 14-day free trial today to start practicing. Get your first two user tests for free!
