Usability testing a website when it’s in the final stages of development is vital if you want to launch the best possible site you’re capable of. Here are just some of the advantages of UX for your consideration:
Pass the First Impression Test
It’s debatable whether they should or not, but first impressions really do count, which is why you can’t rely on software testing, analysis and support alone when creating a new website. You need to get out there and ask the people who will be using your website what they think about it too. By covering both bases, you can be pretty confident that you’re doing the right thing because, although internal testing using the best tools is always a good idea, your internal team may not always be objective about their creations.
It Helps You to Make Better Decisions
Website builders will undoubtedly use A/B testing to choose a particular design element towards the end of a project, and this is certainly a good way to determine what works best, but is it really the best way?/ If you introduce usability testing, you might find that both options are pretty bad, and then you’ll be confronted with options C, D, and E to think about, which might be even better.
It Reduces Conflicts
As launch time grows closer, it’s not uncommon for disputes to arise between team members about the usefulness of a certain feature or the quality of the design.Instead of letting them fight it out, and instead of succumbing to whoever shouts the loudest, by usability testing your website, you can put the matter to bed quickly and ensure you get the best possible resolution - the one that visitors to the website will love.
Get Your Priorities Straight
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If you hate having a to-do list the length of your arm come launch date when all of those bugs and kinks are made completely evident to you, causing you to run around like a headless chicken, usability testing will certainly help you by showing up which issues are a bigger priority before launch date, so come the big day, you will have a firm grasp on what you need to do and when you should be doing it. It won’t completely eliminate your stress, but it will go a long way to alleviating it.
Get a Good Night’s Sleep
In a similar vein, usability testing will help to reduce those nervous nights when you can’t get to sleep following the launch of your website; those nights when you lie awake sleeping wondering whether you remembered that important piece of code or whether the new site will fall flat.
Basically, if you take the time to usability test your website before you launch it, you will have advanced warning of any issues, so you can sort them out before they the website goes live,and it will help you to have a firmer grip of control over the project and it’ll do wonders for your mental well being too.
