The playbook
Website User Testing: Template and Field Guide
This website user testing template turns a broad task into a record another person can use. It captures task, observation, impact, then connects that information to a decision. Copy the table into your working document or system and create a separate record for each item in scope.
Put the task in context
Ask someone to find a service, determine whether it fits, and submit an inquiry without pointing at the intended controls. Observe the route they choose and where they hesitate. Ask what they expected after the task rather than coaching them during it.
Copyable worksheet
| Field | Entry instructions |
|---|---|
| task | Record the task associated with this page or interaction record. Use a stable reference so later updates can be matched. |
| observation | Record the observation associated with this page or interaction record. Keep the value specific enough for another owner to interpret. |
| impact | Record the impact associated with this page or interaction record. Keep the value specific enough for another owner to interpret. |
| proposed change | Record the proposed change associated with this page or interaction record. Keep the value specific enough for another owner to interpret. |
| Decision field | Entry instructions |
|---|---|
| Observed problem | Describe the actual condition and where it was observed. |
| Recommended action | State the smallest action that resolves the documented problem. |
| Evidence | Link to the record, observation, or test supporting the action. |
| Owner and next review | Name the accountable person and when the decision should be revisited. |
How to complete the worksheet
Begin with task. Use the same reference throughout the record so notes are not attached to the wrong item. Then choose realistic tasks without revealing the answer. This establishes the information required before the worksheet becomes a request for action.
Next, watch where participants hesitate fail or misinterpret. Use the observed problem and evidence fields to explain why that step is needed. A useful entry describes an actual condition, such as asking only whether participants like the design, rather than a broad instruction to “improve performance.”
Finally, prioritize repeated obstacles over personal design preferences. Put observe task performance and ask what caused confusion in the action field only when it addresses the observed condition. If the problem is different, change the action. The template is a structure for judgment, not a reason to apply the same fix everywhere.
Illustrative completed decision
| Part | Illustrative entry |
|---|---|
| Problem | Asking only whether participants like the design |
| Action | Observe task performance and ask what caused confusion |
| First check | Choose realistic tasks without revealing the answer |
| Follow-up check | Prioritize repeated obstacles over personal design preferences |
| Outcome to define | task success in observed sessions |
Adapt the fields without losing meaning
You can add fields required by your team, but each should change a decision or preserve necessary context. Keep factual observations separate from recommendations. If observation changes, record the new value and its effective date instead of silently rewriting the context of an earlier decision.
Use the record in a handoff
Ask the receiving owner to explain the next action using only the worksheet. Missing context becomes visible quickly during that exercise. Repair the record before applying the structure to a larger batch. Keep task success in observed sessions connected to the item so the team can later assess whether the action was useful.
Design recovery as part of the experience. People enter incomplete information, use slow connections, and return to interrupted tasks. A clear error and a preserved input are often more useful than another decorative element.
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