Usability
Method Toolkit

Methods by Design Phases

5-Second Test

A quick and easy way of usability testing. The 5-second tests gets users initial impression of a product or design when they see it the...

5-Whys

With this quick and simple method a group of people can get to the root and causes of a specific problem...

635 Brainwriting

The 635 Brainwriting method helps in the ideation phase. Participants built upon ideas from each other during multiple rounds...

A/B Test

A/B Test is a quantitative test method to validate or falsify already existing hypotheses. It can be applied to test different versions (A and B)...

Affinity Diagrams

Affinity Diagrams are a way to organize complex data or data that one is not able to make sense of, into groups or categories based...

AttrakDiff

AttrakDiff 2 is a questionnaire used for the evaluation of interactive products. While most questionnaires only evaluate practical usability, i.e. “pragmatic qualities”, AttrakDiff 2 also...

Bird-in-Hand

The bird-in-hand principle is a method for developing ideas based on individual competencies and attributes of the people who are working together on a new...

Braindumping

Similar to brainstorming but with some specialities is this quick and easy method popular to gather ideas individually in a group...

Brainwalking

A variation of the brainstorming method. In this case iteratively ideas are being developed individually by the participants...

Card Sorting

This method is really helpul subsequently to a brainstorming-type-of-method. After gathering lots of ideas some clustering is needed!...

Cognitive Walkthrough

Generally, Cognitive walkthrough is a technique that focuses on exploratory learning. Its a very good method for exposing assumptions about users and learning that can...

Contextual Inquiry

This qualitative interview brings findings about the system-to-be's surrounding. Interviewees are potential users. Some skills about interviews are relevant...

Cultural Probes

The cultural probes method is aimed for understanding users from a qualitative and ethnographic approach. The probes could be various material designed by the research...

Customer Journey Map

This complex method reveals opportunities for addressing the pain points of customers, alleviating fragmentation and ultimately creating a better experience for your users...

Diary Method

This longitudinal method helps gathering lots of data about users experiences and usage of a product...

Engaging Personas

This method helps you to get a deeper look into the target group by defining characteristics and needs...

Experience Prototyping

This methods aims towards prototyping in all stages of a design process. This might enhance a better understanding of the product...

Eye-Tracking

This digital method helps locating rooted design problems by tracking the eye-movements of a user...

Fictional Personas

Creating fictional personas increases empathy for the target group and can help in the design process of a product...

Focus Groups

Guide a discussion with potential users to gather insides about their opinion on a product...

GOMS

This method is a task analysis to improve the efficiency of a product's interface by reducing interactions...

Heuristic Review

The heuristic interview helps to detect usability problems by testing a user interface with guidelines for common problems...

How Might We? Questions

"Framing Design, Based On Problems And Solutions." How might we solve problem A? The question helps with the framework for innovative thoughts...

Idea Clustering

Sorting ideas or information from interviews with user opens up the path for futher processing with the development...

Inspirational Cards

Traditional brainstorming is given a creative twist through the use of Inspiration Cards. The Inspiration Cards help to cover a wide range of abstract and...

Journaling

In the beginning of the design phase it might come handy to document experiences of researchers and participants...

Lego Serious Play

Think with your hands! With the help of sets of bricks from LEGO...

Mental Model

Mental models express the network of thoughts towards something. Expectations of how sth. works...

Mind Map

A method to sort ideas or information concerning a topic...

Paper Prototyping

Use this method to quickly prototype your design idea with paper and get feedback from users...

Prototyping and Wireframing

Prototyping is an important aspect in the design process, it is a process through which design teams showcase and implement all the work that has...

Rapid Prototyping

Rapid Prototyping is a method of quickly creating mockups of your tool, product, system or a website and showing it to the User before the...

Role-based Personas

Role-based personas are used to identify what needs the target user group has, how their activities, behavior and characteristics would be like, and most importantly...

Scenarios

Telling a story of the user with the new device...

Storyboard

Write a potential story how user would use the interface/application...

SWOT Analysis

Discover strengths and weaknesses from in- and outside perspective of your product...

Task Modelling

This method helps to understand tasks user can do with the interface and which problems might occur...

Thinking Aloud

Get a live feedback of users working on tasks on the interface/product and understand eventual problems...

Usability Lab Test

Usability lab test is a qualitative research method which is an integral and important part of the user-centered design process and its function is to...

Use Cases

Get a deeper understanding of the systems requirements by defining use cases with actors, goals and system processes...

User Environment Design

This methods shows users a systems functionalities and where they are needed...

User Interviews

Have a conversation with a user about a product or design to gather insights and opinions...

User Journey

This method helps to understand users emotions and thoughts behind actions they can to with the product...

User Test

Collect data regarding how real users react, feel and behave while using an interface...

UX Laddering

This method helps you to explore correlations between components of a product, by conducting user-interviews...

Walt Disney Method

Dive into a role play method to ideate on ideas. Every idea is heard and discussed...

Web Analytics

Understand how a website is actually used and transform data about it into meaning and actions for better usability...

Wireframing

Develop a blueprint for the product's digital interface...

Worst Possible Ideas

Brainstorm badly characteristics for your product and turn them into characteristics that are good for the product...