Samuel Fabayo on YouTube · Open on YouTube
Core skills: the UX process · Advanced beginner · Lesson 26 of 99 · 13 min video, then about 3 hours of practice
Moderated usability testing
After this you can write realistic tasks, moderate a session without leading the participant, and report findings by severity.
Why it matters
Five participants will surface most of the serious problems, so this is cheap and there is no excuse for skipping it. The craft is in the moderating: give a task and a scenario, not instructions; when asked 'what should I do', reflect it back; write down what they *did* and where they hesitated, not whether they said they liked it. Watching someone fail to use your design is uncomfortable and is the most valuable half hour in the process. Trap: rescuing the participant, which destroys the data you came for.
How to use this resource
Practical and current: planning, tasks, moderating and writing up. Follow it literally for your first test.