UX & usability testing with slashwhy
Build the foundation for better products with insights from usability tests conducted under real conditions.
Key insights into usability testing
Usability testing is a fundamental part of user experience design. While user research helps us understand needs and contexts of use, UX testing focuses on validating concrete solutions. It shows whether features, navigation paths, and interactions work as intended in real usage.
The focus is always on your users. In structured tests, they complete real tasks while we observe how they interact with an application, where issues occur, and what makes interactions difficult. This allows us to evaluate usability and the overall experience of digital products in a measurable way.
As a UX partner, we plan and run usability tests, recruit the right participants, and analyze the results in a structured way. Depending on your needs, tests take place in a lab, remotely, or on site. The insights we gather translate directly into clear, actionable recommendations for your product team.
As a development partner for custom software, we integrate UX testing into the entire development process. Together with disciplines like user research, prototyping, and user interface design, it ensures that applications are built from a user perspective and continuously improved.
Interested? Then explore this page to learn more about usability testing with slashwhy.
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How we improve your product quality with UX and usability testing
Poor usability and unclear interaction patterns are among the main reasons why digital applications fail. With UX testing, we create the foundation to identify and address these risks early. Instead of relying on assumptions, subjective opinions, or stakeholder briefings alone, we systematically evaluate and refine designs, prototypes, and existing applications.
UX testing also strengthens confidence in your investment decisions throughout the development process. Choices around features, prioritization, or release timing are based on real test results and clear data, not internal debates. This creates transparency and reduces uncertainty in critical project phases. At the same time, strong usability does not happen by chance. It is the result of an iterative process of testing and improvement. Applications that are easy to understand and efficient to use are more likely to be adopted, used regularly, and continuously evolved.
With UX testing, we bring real context into the development process. As soon as real users interact with a prototype, it becomes clear which ideas work and where friction occurs. These insights form the foundation for well informed iterations of your digital products.
Anastasiia Tukalova
UX Designer at slashwhy
Eye tracking glasses are one of many tools used in usability testing. They are especially helpful in complex setups, for example on fixed machine interfaces or in situations where users need to move around in a physical environment.
Our process
How we approach UX testing
A usability test only delivers meaningful results when it is carefully planned, conducted, and analyzed. That is why at slashwhy, we follow a clearly defined process that covers all relevant steps, from setting goals to deriving concrete actions. This ensures that testing is not treated as an isolated activity, but is embedded into the development process and delivers results your product team can directly work with.
Step 1 | Planning and test design
At the start, we define clear testing goals. We decide which questions the test should answer, what exactly will be evaluated, and which method fits best. Depending on the objective, this can be an existing product, a clickable prototype, or a concept using real or simulated data.
We also clarify the framework early on. Which target group should be tested, how realistic the setting needs to be, how many participants are required, and whether the test runs remotely or on site. Topics like recruitment, data protection, incentives, and timing are prepared in advance so the test can run smoothly without unnecessary delays.
Step 2 | Recruiting
Selecting the right participants is key to getting meaningful results. Depending on the target group, we recruit through the client or with the support of specialized partner agencies. What matters most is that participants closely match real user profiles. At the same time, we plan for potential dropouts to ensure the required sample size is met and results remain reliable.
Step 3 | Preparation
In the preparation phase, we create the test guide and define the tasks participants will complete. These tasks are based on real usage scenarios so we can see how the application performs in everyday use.
We also validate the technical setup in a pre test and take care of all organizational aspects. This includes scheduling, invitations, data protection agreements, and required equipment. This way, we ensure that the process, test duration, and overall setup align with the test goals.
Step 4 | Execution
In usability testing, real users work through typical tasks using a product, a prototype, or a clickable model. These tasks are based on real usage scenarios so we can see how the application is actually used in everyday situations.
We moderate the sessions and guide participants through the process. Along the way, we observe their behavior, ask targeted questions, and capture how they interact with the application, where uncertainties arise, and which issues affect usability.
Depending on the goal, we collect both qualitative insights such as feedback, comprehension issues, and decision making patterns, as well as quantitative data like completion times or success rates.
Tests can be conducted remotely or directly in the real context of use, for example in an office, on a shop floor, or in specialized environments. We make sure the setup is as realistic as possible and does not distort the situation. If needed, sessions can be followed via live streaming. We ensure that participants are not influenced and can behave naturally. Audio, video, or screen recordings are also possible in line with data protection agreements.
Step 5 | Evaluation
After the test, we evaluate the results in a structured way. We analyze user behavior, identify weaknesses, and combine qualitative observations with quantitative metrics. Based on this, we derive clear and prioritized recommendations. This makes it transparent which issues should be addressed first and where the greatest potential lies to improve the product, usability, and overall experience.
Step 6 | Transfer and iteration
For us, usability testing is not an isolated step. It is part of a holistic UX process. The results feed directly into related disciplines such as user research, prototyping, and user interface design, where they are further developed.
This creates a solid foundation for the continued development of your application. Improvements can be implemented in a targeted way and tested again in later iterations, helping product quality improve step by step.
FAQ | Frequently asked questions about UX & usability testing
Usability testing is useful whenever you want to validate decisions in your project. Typical points in time are before developing new features, before a release, or as part of ongoing iterations. Especially in early phases, testing helps verify assumptions before development effort is invested. For existing applications, it reveals weaknesses and shows where improvements will have the greatest impact.
IIn a usability test, real users complete typical tasks using a product, a prototype, or a clickable model. We moderate the sessions, observe user behavior, and ask targeted questions. This makes it clear how users approach tasks, where they hesitate, and where problems occur. The results are documented, analyzed, and translated into clear recommendations for further development.
For qualitative usability tests, 5 to 8 participants are often enough to identify the most important issues. For more stable insights or more complex applications, 10 to 12 participants can be useful. What matters more than the exact number is how well participants match the target group. The key is that the people in the test closely reflect real users or are actual users of the product.
The effort depends strongly on the project, especially on the goals, target group, and test setup. A test can be lean with a small number of participants and a prototype, or more extensive with dedicated recruitment and a specific usage context.
One thing matters most. Investing in usability testing early saves time and cost later on, because issues are identified before they reach development or make it into a release.
Find out more here.
You gain clear insights into how users actually interact with your application. This includes identified weaknesses, observed issues, and a clear understanding of where interactions do not work as expected. Based on these findings, you receive prioritized recommendations that help your team improve the product in a targeted way and make well informed decisions for further development.
With slashwhy, we have a partner who goes far beyond simply delivering code. They support the entire process from concept to implementation, truly identify with the product, and actively contribute to improving it.
Friedrich Laube
Director Digital Products & Services Smart Home at Miele
A key benefit of the solution developed with slashwhy is that we can continue evolving our series products while running new development projects in parallel.
Axel Schröder
Director Advanced Engineering at CLAAS E-Systems
Intuitive interaction through a modern UI is very important to us. Your customers should not struggle with technology, they should enjoy using your products and have a smooth experience with the application.
Oliver Kortekamp
Team Leader & PO at Oase
We consistently feel that slashwhy takes real ownership of the product. Everyone involved truly identifies with it, which clearly sets them apart from other service providers.
Dr. Melanie Schuh
Product Management at W&H
The agile mindset of all slashwhy team members is impressive and truly contagious in a positive way. We work together with slashwhy as equals in agile teams and achieve our goals faster.
Markus Rose
Director CHARX control Division Charging Infrastructure at Phoenix Contact
We can save a completed commissioning process in the app and reuse it as a template, especially for large projects. This allows us to configure similar gates consistently and much more efficiently. It is a clear advantage and a strong benefit of the app.
Tobias Lange
Projektmanager at Hörmann
Global players and hidden champions
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Companies for which usability testing is relevant
UX and usability testing are relevant for any company that develops, evolves, or improves digital products in ongoing use. The more complex an application becomes, the more features, content, and user roles come together, and the more important smooth workflows are in everyday use, the greater the value of systematic evaluation with real users.
We especially recommend usability testing for new software products, before releases, during relaunches, or as part of larger iterations. It is just as valuable for existing applications where long onboarding times, high error rates, low adoption, or increasing support effort indicate that usage and interaction are not well aligned with the target group. It is also an important building block for companies with high requirements for quality, accessibility, or business critical processes.
Content recommendation
How usability testing works with eye tracking glasses
Eye tracking glasses are specialized devices equipped with cameras and sensors that capture and analyze eye movements, pupil size, fixations, and fixation duration. This technology makes it possible to track gaze patterns in detail and understand what users look at, how long they focus on specific elements, and in which order.
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UX and usability testing with slashwhy
With UX testing, we evaluate designs, prototypes, and existing applications under real conditions. We check whether users can complete defined tasks reliably, whether interactions are easy to understand, and whether usability meets the needs of your target group. To do this, we combine qualitative testing with quantitative metrics such as task success rate or completion time, creating a solid basis for decisions for product teams and developers.
Depending on the goal and context, we choose the right testing method, whether moderated in a lab, remote, or on site. When evaluating improvements, we establish a baseline and compare different variants using clearly defined criteria. In the analysis, we bring together observations, test results, and measurable data to derive clear recommendations for design and further development.
We recruit participants based on the context of use, either through existing customer networks or specialized partners. We ensure a sufficient sample size and realistic conditions. Tests can be conducted with prototypes, clickable models, or existing software. Audio or screen recordings, as well as eye tracking, support the analysis of interaction and user behavior.
For us, UX testing is an integral part of the development process. We feed insights directly into optimization, prototyping, and iteration. This allows us to systematically improve usability, regardless of industry, platform, or complexity of the application.