Usability testing brief
Plan a usability test that uses representative people and realistic tasks to inform a pending decision.
UX research and audits · 45 min · Advanced · 30 questions
Study design
Which decision could this test change?
Which recent behavior should participants have?
Which user roles should participate?
How much relevant experience should participants have?
Which access needs must the study support?
Who should not participate?
Study tasks
Which realistic goal should each task give the participant?
Where should each task begin?
Which information should participants receive before a task?
What observable point ends each task?
Session format
Do the sessions need a facilitator?
Can participants join remotely?
Does the study need to compare alternatives?
Prototype limits
Which paths does the prototype support?
How realistic is the prototype data?
Which error states does the prototype support?
Which actions does the prototype not support?
Session protocol
How will the facilitator introduce the session?
How will participants give consent?
How will participants be asked to think aloud?
When may the facilitator help?
What will the session record?
How can a participant withdraw?
Measures
What counts as task success?
Which participant errors will be recorded?
How will recovery from an error be recorded?
How will participant confidence be captured?
Reporting
Which notes will support each finding?
Which recordings can be shared as evidence?
Which observations contradict the main findings?
How to use this brief
Use this brief as a bank of questions for the conversation. Choose what is relevant, mark covered questions as you go, and skip anything that has already been answered.
Use this brief when...
Use when you need to plan a usability test that uses representative people and realistic tasks to inform a pending decision.
Best used as: Research plan
- Category
- UX research and audits
- Discussion time
- 45 minutes
- Depth
- Advanced
- Last updated
- Jul 21, 2026
- Scope
- Design briefs
- Best used as
- Research plan
- Design roles
- UX researcher
- Audience
- UX and UI designersProduct designersProduct managersDesign leads
- Platforms
- ResearchWebMobile
- Company type
- B2BB2CEnterprise
- Product stage
- DiscoveryGrowthMature product
- Tags
- ux-research-and-auditsusability-testingresearch-and-evaluationmoderated-usability-testunmoderated-task-test