Verify: Low Cost Usability Testing Gets Even Better

Just two weeks ago, I wrote that “it’s not often useful new [UX] tools come out”. Then days later I was advised of another great enhancement, this time to ZURB’s Verify app.

When I first reviewed Verify 1 ½ years ago, I was impressed. It provides a whole suite of tests (click tests, memory tests, preference tests, etc.) that you can use on finished web pages or even mock-ups. (See my original review.)

Now it’s even better, as they’ve added three more very handy features.

Mobile Devices

Now you can also test on tablets and phones, not just desktops. If your test only really applies to one type of device, you can specify whether it’s intended for desktop, phone or tablet. Only those on the platform you specify will be included in your test.

“Multivariate” Tests

ZURB refers to this new feature as Multivariate Testing, but it’s a bit different from what some of us think of as Multivariate testing.*

On Verify, “multivariate” means testing multiple variations against a control. For example, in a preference test, each tester chooses between the control and one of multiple variations. Call it what you will, I can see lots of applications for such tests.

“Buy Results”

It used to be that you had to find your own test subjects. But now, Verify maintains a database of testers. You can purchase blocks of 25, 50 or 100 users to test on. In most cases, it costs $1 per test.

So, another useful and inexpensive UX tool has gotten even better. It’s been a great couple of weeks in the User Experience universe.

* To my mind, “multivariate testing” is a different animal altogether: A page is broken down into sections, with multiple elements being testing simultaneously. (Simple example: 3 different photos, and 3 different headlines.) This multivariate test would reveal not only which version of each element works best, but how the various combinations of elements interact. (Same simple example: which headline works best with which photo.)