Learn the lingo, improve your vocabulary

Learn the Lingo

• Usability Testing: evaluate exisiting products and services by providing direct input from users interacting with it. The focus is primarily to understand ease of use and related opportunities.

• User Testing: This is a common misnomer. We NEVER conduct “user testing.” We don’t test people. We test experiences, prototypes, products, services, content.

• UserTesting.com: UserTesting.com is an on-demand platform that facilitates moderated and unmoderated testing. It allows us to run (and record studies) with multiple audiences, on both mobile and desktop.

Do you know the difference between user research, user testing, a usability test, and #UserTesting.com?

People regularly ask me how to break into UX research and acquire better foundational knowledge. I respond consistently with five suggestions.

#2 is to improve your vocabulary.

Let's face it. UX terms can be super confusing. If you don't know the difference between these terms look them up. Or soak up three of the four on this slide from one of my Ask Like a Pro UXR workshops. Core terms are woven throughout the workshops so learners get acquainted with the crucial concepts in the context of their hands-on research projects. Theory + direct application is the best way to advance.

In sum, there is a very big difference between these four terms. And I, and every other senior practitioner, can tell immediately how seasoned you are by the way you use our terms in your conversations, case studies, resumes, etc. Precision is extremely important.

JOIN US: Tonight we are holding an info session with alums to share more about Ask Like A Pro. It's a free event and it will be recorded. The link to register is below. All registrants will receive the recording.

Learn the lingo!