5

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Testing

In the testing phase, I focused on evaluating how well my design worked for real users by gathering direct feedback through usability testing sessions. I observed participants as they interacted with the prototype, noting where they succeeded, where they struggled, and how they felt during the process. This helped me identify areas of friction, such as unclear navigation or steps that took longer than expected. I recorded their actions, comments, and behaviors, then compared these insights to the original goals of the project. By doing this, I was able to validate what worked, uncover opportunities for improvement, and prepare recommendations for the next iteration of the design.

UX Research Study

In the testing phase, I conducted a structured Research study to evaluate the camping gear app prototype. The plan outlines the background, research goals, and key questions, such as whether users can successfully browse, find product details, add items to the cart, and complete purchases. Participants will include a mix of beginner and experienced campers, with testing taking place remotely. The methodology focuses on an unmoderated usability study, where participants will follow a series of scripted prompts, including finding a product, checking details, adding it to the cart, and completing checkout. Key performance indicators like time on task, conversion rate, and drop-off points will be used to measure success.

During the sessions, participants will be asked to share their thoughts and feelings about each step, including whether categories are clear, product details are useful, and the confirmation screen is reassuring. Afterward, they will complete a System Usability Scale (SUS) questionnaire to provide structured feedback on ease of use and overall satisfaction. This plan ensures that the study will capture not only user behaviors but also uncover deeper insights about trust, navigation, and confidence in the app’s design.

Usability Study note-taking SpreadSheet

The spreadsheet I  created is a structured usability note-taking tool that captures how each participant moved through the test. For every prompt, I documented four key areas:

• Click Path – the exact steps the participant took on the prototype, such as which icons they tapped, how they navigated categories, and where they made errors or hesitated.

• Observations – your interpretation of their behaviors, attitudes, and level of confidence, including moments of confusion, amusement, or frustration.

• Quotes – direct statements from the participant that reveal their thought process, such as “Oops, wrong button” or “This looks good enough,” which give context to their actions.

• Task Completion – a rating scale (1 = easy, 2 = completed with difficulty, 3 = not completed) that shows how successfully they managed each task.

By filling this out during testing, I created a clear record of not only what participants did, but also how they felt and what slowed them down. Each participant’s notes allow you to see patterns across users like repeated confusion with icons, hesitation around the cart, or frustration with inactive buttons—which then feed into your insights and design recommendations.

Affinity Boad Analysis

During the Test Phase, I organized my usability findings into an affinity board, which helped me cluster patterns across participant behaviors. The board revealed four main themes: trust and cart concerns, where users often double-checked or hesitated with checkout; decision-making and confidence, with some participants scanning carefully while others clicked quickly or randomly; prototype limitations, where missing features caused confusion and mild frustration; and navigation issues, such as hesitating with icons or clicking the wrong ones before correcting. By grouping these observations into themes, the affinity board made it clear where users struggled most and highlighted opportunities to improve trust signals, decision support, and navigation clarity in the next design iteration.

Insight Priority Template

From the usability testing, I gathered prioritized insights that highlighted the most pressing issues. At the top level, participants showed a lack of trust in the cart contents, which pointed to the need for a cart review step to reassure users before checkout. Other critical issues included mismatched cart items, missing review steps that caused hesitation, and users double-checking the cart to confirm order accuracy. These insights made it clear that transparency, accuracy, and a clear review process are essential to creating a trustworthy shopping experience.

At lower priority levels, I observed usability issues such as confusion with bottom navigation icons, unclear category labeling, and participants overlooking reviews or important details like price. Some users tapped inactive buttons or ignored placeholder text, showing the need for better visual hierarchy, clearer affordances, and setting expectations in prototypes. Interestingly, experienced users adapted more quickly to missing features, while less experienced ones grew frustrated. These findings emphasized that design improvements like stronger labeling, clearer product info, and realistic prototype interactionswill directly enhance user trust and confidence.