Top Usability Market Research Company

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“The power of usability testing lies in its ability to bridge the gap between innovation and user experience.”

How do you craft a product relevant to people with diverse life experiences around the world… while simultaneously keeping it sharp and competitive? The key, I believe, is using the best methods and tools when conducting usability testing.

We have spent over 40 years providing insight after insight, allowing businesses to succeed across a variety of sectors. Actually, we have been working with some of the biggest brands such as Microsoft, Pfizer and Coca-Cola to design products that their audiences are after – which makes us a top usability market research company.

So… What is Usability Testing?

Usability testing is a technique for checking a product’s or service’s usability by watching real users interact. It evaluates how effortlessly users can accomplish their tasks. This process often includes a moderator who shows sample users how to do various tasks, asks follow-up questions, and requests feedback.

One of the most powerful things in my career is how early usability testing can shift a whole development away from building the wrong product. Unfortunately, many companies will spend thousands of dollars (even millions) developing and designing products that won’t really work in real life.

Having worked with organizations such as Nike, Pfizer, and Unilever, we demonstrate how minor changes translate into large gains in user satisfaction and product quality. The insights from feedback can be used to resolve user issues, improve user engagement and conversion rates, and increase customer loyalty.

But… Why Is Usability Testing a MUST for Businesses?

Usability testing methods and tools are useful for businesses to understand how their users interact with their products and detect obstacles that will break the user flow. Additionally, the feedback from usability testing has a huge impact on design since it helps companies think outside the box and understand the real-world use of their products.

At SIS International, as one of the best usability market research companies in New York; we have conducted usability testing for clients such as Unilever and Coca-Cola to capture fresh insights that delivered more functional and engaging products. Poor usability is expensive — products that fail to meet user needs will likely experience low sales, high abandonment rates and negative customer reviews.

Common Usability Testing Methods

Choosing the right testing method can be the difference between collecting impactful feedback and not. Each method gives you different kinds of information and has its own rewards depending on the project goals – and here are some of the methods we use and the reasons I think they work so well:

Moderated Usability Testing

This is a broad concept that I find to be the best of all methods. In a moderated test case, you will have the facilitator who guides users through specific tasks asking questions and prompting users to think out loud also diving deeper into their experience. This will allow you to watch what they do and how they react live, and it will help provide context that would be otherwise impossible.

It is particularly useful for sophisticated products when you might want to understand the problem in the user journey and how users might be confused as they try to interact with a product. A good moderator helps give users the confidence to talk about themselves and their experiences.

Unmoderated Usability Testing

Using this method, users perform tasks alone—with no moderator present—usually in their natural environment. This approach can be very low-cost, especially when seeking input from a broad range of users.

My favorite observations about unmoderated testing are that it yields more natural responses, in which users interact with your product as they would typically do. 

A/B Testing

This is one of our most data-intensive approaches. It could involve showing two versions of a product (e.g., two different website layouts or mobile feature variants), comparing their performance, and gaining insights into which version users prefer.

 I have been experimenting with A/B testing on some of our largest clients. We helped Nike optimize its e-commerce platform, and through A/B testing, we adjusted the checkout process ever so slightly so that they saw higher conversion rates. What makes A/B testing so valuable is that it takes the guesswork out of your operations and gives you straightforward, reliable information about what does and doesn’t work.

Remote Usability Testing

Remote usability testing allows us to test users from anywhere in the world. It allows us to get users in their natural environments, and they are more likely to engage with the product like in a real-world scenario.

In-Person Usability Testing

There is something very magical in watching a user interact with a product—both what they say and how they emote. Face-to-face testing is a much richer experience in comparison, as the moderator can address any issues immediately as they arise. 

And What Are the Top Usability Testing Tools?

UserTesting

I recommend UserTesting to all of our clients. It is a very user-friendly platform for performing moderated and unmoderated usability tests.

One of the strongest features I have found in UserTesting are the video recordings and detailed feedback. Not only can you watch users interact with your product live, the tool collects metrics like task completion rate, time on task and user satisfaction for you.

Lookback

I especially love that Lookback has real-time collaboration, so team members can actually watch user sessions together live and chat over findings. This makes the testing process more collaborative and effective, particularly for teams in different locations.

Recording user interaction through video and audio is a key advantage of Lookback. This helps provide us and our clients with rich, contextual data that allows us to identify pain points and delve into why these users do what they do.

Crazy Egg

This heatmapping software has made it very easy for us to check out user behavior in specific website areas, such as noting where users clicked and scrolled on certain pages and how they are transitioning between different pages.

This means that if people ignore a critical call to action or bail on your checkout process, you can quickly isolate and change those areas.

Hotjar

I also highly recommend Hotjar, a fantastic feedback tool that allows you to create surveys, polls, and heat maps. It also has a great session recording tool—you can watch people visit your pages and see where/why they might get stuck. 

We have seen great results using Hotjar with clients in retail and service industries to improve website design, landing pages, and customer service elements for more seamless user experiences.

What Makes SIS International a Top Usability Market Research Company?

We, as a top usability market research company in New York, have helped clients build better strategies and products for their businesses and cultivated an unrivaled reputation for excellence. This is why our clients keep coming back to us for their usability testing needs :

We OWN Our Facility in NYC

Our state-of-the-art facility is a foundational element of our operation. Companies have access to state-of-the-art usability testing techniques, and tools, and users get paid for their time without companies having to pay the excessive overhead costs that research firms usually pass onto renting out their spaces.

Central Location Test Site

Located in the heart of New York City, the accessibility of our facility to a diverse population represents the full spectrum of cultural and socioeconomic diversity. 

State-of-the-Art Technology

Our package includes the latest tools and methods to create a deep understanding of user behavior. These include eye-tracking technology, heatmaps, and AI-powered analytics.

Global Reach and Expertise

Our NYC facility is our home base, but our operations are worldwide. With operations in over 135 countries, we can perform usability tests in any region and be mindful of cultural nuances.

Proven Track Record with Top Clients

We have partnered with industry giants such as Google, Nestle, and Sony. With a flexible practice on methods and technologies, we have become the trusted partner whose approach delivers and flows well with our clients’ operations.

FAQs

What is usability testing, and what is its importance?

It aims to detect any usability issues, comprehend user behavior, and gain insights into the ease or difficulty with which the target audience can interact with a product.

How can usability testing increase customer satisfaction?

Usability testing offers direct feedback from end-users regarding their experience with a product, helping companies locate pain points, frustrations, and confusion. 

What products can usability testing be used for?

Usability testing is a versatile method that can be used for various types of products and services in different industries. Usability testing is an essential step in almost every sector, from websites and mobile applications to physical goods and software interfaces, to guarantee that a product is user-friendly and operational.

How do we get the right results from usability test?

Test on a platform where you will likely get accurate, reliable results. SIS International utilizes a lengthy vetting process to ensure accuracy throughout all stages of the test, from recruiting individuals to undergo the test to analyzing the data itself.

The participants are selected so that they reflect the product’s target group as closely as possible. After that, we come up with realistic scenarios and tasks representative of actual users using the product in a real-world setting. We take the data from the test and do some qualitative and quantitative analysis, searching for patterns and insights that may lead to meaningful improvements to the product.

Our expert squad ensures that every usability testing session is conducted with the least bias possible so that it is accurate and actionable.

What is the impact of usability testing on my product ROI?

Usability testing can immediately positively affect your product’s ROI by enabling effective user interaction. Easy-to-use and relevant products lead to higher engagement, lower churn rates, and the highest customer loyalty.

How do you process the usability testing data?

Evaluating usability testing data is equally as crucial as the testing itself. SIS International adopts a qualitative-quantitative approach to analysis. Recognizing patterns, tracking how users interact with your product, and comparing data with other sessions.

We then create in-depth reports showcasing important findings, spotting usability problems, and providing practical suggestions. Our expertise lies in translating raw data into actionable insights to elevate how our clients can enhance their products based on the design approach employed.

Our Facility Location in New York

11 E 22nd Street, Floor 2, New York, NY 10010  T: +1(212) 505-6805

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About SIS International

SIS International offers Quantitative, Qualitative, and Strategy Research. We provide data, tools, strategies, reports, and insights for decision-making. We also conduct interviews, surveys, focus groups, and other Market Research methods and approaches. Contact us for your next Market Research project.

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