That way, you find out what paths they follow, which graphics they click, where they get lost, and, most importantly, when they lose interest. Usability testing is crucial to your site's success and profitability. Office supplies giant Staples has seen online sales soar since calling in usability experts Human Factors International to help with the redesign of their site. As a result of usability testing, Staples added a shopping cart showing a perennial list of items purchased, the ability to create a shopping list of frequently bought items, and a quick way for shoppers to link to their favorite aisles. They understand the importance of knowing their user.
Usability goes more than screen-deep.
We try to make testing as fast and cheap as possible. We don't want to tie up development. To be effective, it has to be very easy to do. It has to fit into a schedule and budget. Early testing lets you examine and use market research to determine the value of each feature and how well people recognize and value each one.