CS346-1501A-01 User Interface Design Phase 3 DB Coursework

CS346-1501A-01 User Interface Design Phase 3 DB - Coursework Example The purpose of this paper is to highlight the different benefits of usability test and how effective it becomes when developing an application that utilizes one of the rapid application methodologies. The most important reason for performing a usability test is to ensure that the design is what the user needs because there are very many websites and designs, which are very similar. Users always go for the easy and efficient websites, sites that are easy to use increase user satisfaction hence the company gets more users, and it also edges competition from their rivals. It is at this stage, designers identify the need to alter the design with an aim of improving user performance and satisfaction. These tests also help to analyze the performance and check whether it meets its outlined objectives. However, a formal laboratory is not necessary to facilitate such tests, the most important part is that there should be a user and an observer who can be in the same room with the user or can alternatively use another. Portable recording equipment is not necessary for such scenarios. Usability test has proved to be essential in the development of any type of products that endeavors to capture the consumer who is the user in this case. In reference to rapid application development, usability test is vital since it provides the required information about the requirements and the different ways of testing the designs (Edrington 1999). In this type of model, the different components are developed in parallel as if they are just sub projects. The designers arrange the developments and deliver them into a working prototype. It is at this stage that the user achieves something visible to see and try out to provide feedback in regards to phase. RAD model encourages the feedback of the customer, which is the backbone of the usability test because it depends solely on the customer to provide information about the type of product that will suit him. On the