How to do a quick UX test on your own

Sometimes there's simply a need for something simpler. Something small. A quick and dirty if you will. Here's a few of those tests you can run on your own. There are loads of these tests, I'm sure you can add many more to this list. And please do. Having many tools in your toolbox is a great asset! Remember to measure everything and present your results to leadership / your team.

The flow audit

• Pick one core customer journey (like checkout, signup, account setup etc).
• Time how long it takes to complete. Count the steps. Note where the users hesitate.
• Do the same thing with one or two competitors.
• Analyze what areas you can improve and what the benefit (ROI) would be.
• Bring your findings to the next leadership meeting.

Remove one obstacle

• Identify a single unnecessary field, click, or confirmation step. Remove it.
• Measure the impact over the next 30 days.
• Present the results to leadership. Even small wins prove your value.

Quantify abandonment

• Use analytics tools to track drop-offs. Where do customers leave? How many dollars are lost per month at that step?
• Design a solution for the situation and measure the impact over the next 30 days.
• Present it to leadership not as a UX metric but as a revenue leak.