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Top 3 Tools To Measure App Usability

Bobby Gill | January 14, 2014

Are you a developer or publisher who wants to measure your app’s usability stats? If you are unfamiliar with app usability testing, then you might be surprised to know that there are a number of services and tools that allow you to see how users are interacting with your app, and where some possible problems might exist. Measuring your app’s usability is important because it can help increase your conversion rate, find areas where users aren’t using your app as intended and highlights any areas of concern.

How Do I Measure My Own App?

Various tools and services each provide their own take on usability tracking, but the core concept still remains the same. Most services will record a video of a user going through your app, some services even provide live recordings of the user’s face and thoughts as they speak their mind while navigating your app. You can then review these videos and recordings in your own time to tap into the minds of your users. These recordings provide a fresh perspective on your app since they come from someone who has never seen your app before. A fresh perspective may help you find problems, since spending extended periods of time working on your own app may skew your thoughts and you might have missed something that is glaringly obvious.

Another huge part of usability tracking is analytics. Alongside the recordings and videos of users, you should also have a analytics reporting system that allows you to track which pages people are spending the most time on and other useful statistics. If you have used any other analytics tracking software before (such as Google Analytics) then you should be familiar with the format. However if you are new to analytics then it might be wise to consult the official documentation provided or send a friendly email to the service providers containing any questions or queries you may have.

Benefits of App Usability Testing

No product or service is perfect, but testing allows you to refine your initial idea. On-going support and improvement are essential to achieving success in the app industry, and app usability testing may reveal elements of your app which can be refined. With advanced analytics tools such as UI tracking and user recordings, we can now delve into the minds of our users and see the problems from their perspective. This technique allows us to pinpoint the cause of the problem and eliminate it, resulting in greater usability.

App Usability Tools

Delight

Delight is an easy way to capture iOS user interactions. When configured properly, Delight will track your application screen and record any and all gestures, you can then re-watch these recordings. This enables developers and designers to accurately measure how their app is being used. With this information you will be able to figure out how users navigate around your app and locate any problematic menus or interfaces.

Price:  $10 / hour.

Lookback

Lookback is currently in beta and free for anyone to try. Lookback not only provides footage of how the user interacts with your app, it will also record video and sound of the user. This is extremely useful for the developer, as they get to physically hear and see what users think of their app. Since Lookback is currently in beta, it doesn’t provide comprehensive analytics and statistics, but it is also free to use and is a great tool for obtaining feedback on your app.

Price: free!

Appsee

Appsee gives developers and publishers the tools they need to track and optimize their app. Complete with app analytics such as UI analysis, crash recordings, heatmaps and user recordings, Appsee offers everything you need for effective app usability testing.

Price: Free (1000 user sessions / month, 100 user recording/month) or $250 /month.

Conducting your own app usability tracking allows for greater insight into the inner workings of your app. It may also reveal any problems or shortcomings which can be improved, therefore increasing your conversion rates and overall app quality. No longer do you have to wonder whether your app is working as intended, you can obtain real-time analytics and receive real user feedback. Using one of these three app usability services will give you a competitive edge in a saturated field.

Bobby Gill
Co-Founder & Chief Architect at BlueLabel | + posts

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