Talking during usability testing

During usability testing, it's crucial to ensure that participants feel comfortable and provide honest feedback. However, sometimes participants may feel pressured to please the facilitator and answer questions in a way they think the facilitator wants to hear. To elicit honest feedback, use encouraging phrases that allow participants to speak their minds, for example:

• "Please feel free to speak your thoughts out loud as you go through the tasks."
• "There are no right or wrong answers — we just want to understand how you interact with the product."
• "We appreciate your time and feedback — it will help us improve the product for future users."

On the other hand, facilitators should avoid using leading questions that can bias the results, for example:

• "Did you find that task easy?"
• "Was it frustrating when the system didn't work?"
• "Did you notice any design flaws during the task?"

Such questions can suggest a particular response and influence participants to provide feedback that is not truly reflective of their experience. Instead of using leading questions during usability testing, you can try alternative methods such as the boomerang technique, which involves asking a non-threatening question.

For example, if a user expresses uncertainty about a button's function, you could ask, "Where do you think it may lead?" or "What would you normally do in this situation?" This approach can encourage participants to share their genuine thoughts and feelings rather than trying to please the facilitator by answering in a certain way.^[1]