Website Testing Services
Optillion offers two stand-alone website testing services for companies who are considering, or who have undertaken, web development projects either in-house or using a third party web designer. Companies are usually aware if there is something ‘not quite right’ with their website, but lack the specialised skills needed to identifying and rectifying problems. Using an independent expert to test the website and recommend remedial measures is an effective way of resolving non-specific website problems. The same website testing service is offered, where appropriate, to Optillion’s own web development and search engine optimisation consultancy clients.
Acceptance Testing
Acceptance testing is the process of testing a newly developed website to ensure that it has been constructed according to the agreed specification, and functions correctly. Web development projects will often include acceptance testing in the project programme, with proportion of the payment for the website withheld by the client until after the website had passed the acceptance tests. Acceptance testing should be carried out either by the client, or an independent consultant appointed to act on his behalf, since in simple terms one is testing whether the web developer had done their job correctly and in accordance with the agreed plans. Many clients find that the website produced by a developer is not quite what they were expecting, either in terms of design, content or functionality. The fault may lie with the website designer, but it may equally well lie with the person commissioning the website. Acceptance testing by an independent web development expert offers a means of arbitration between the two parties, ensuring that the client receives a fully functional website as specified, and that fees due to the web developer are not withheld for spurious reasons.
Usability Testing
Usability testing is a diagnostic procedure used to investigate poorly performing websites. The signs that a website is performing poorly – short average visit times, poor site penetration or low conversion rates - rarely indicate a specific cause. Usability testing assesses the appearance, accessibility, functionality and content of the website from the perspective of users within the website’s target audience group. Subjects with an appropriate demographic profile are observed using the site under controlled conditions. Interviews with the test subjects follow, in which the website’s usability is discussed in detail. Data gathered during the observation and interview phases of the testing is analysed to identify common problems with the site identified by the sample test users. The website’s coding will also be examined to investigate any technical problems highlighted during the test, and remedial action recommenced. Some problems identified will be of a functional nature, requiring further testing and investigation using software to analyse entry points, site paths, exit points and time spent viewing individual pages. The greatest benefit of usability testing, however, comes from the subjective insights provided by test users. Issues such as whether a website imparts trust, speaks in a language the user finds appropriate and is organised in a logical manner can only be resolved by usability testing - using real users to test and comment on a website.
