# Usability test script

What you actually read out loud in a session, in order. Written so a first-time moderator can run it without freezing.

Fill in each section below. Delete the guidance text once you've written your own answer.

## Intro

Guidance: What you say before any tasks start -- sets expectations and gets consent. Keep it under 90 seconds spoken.



## Tasks

Guidance: Written as goals, not instructions -- never tell them which button to click. 3-5 tasks maximum for a 30-minute session.



## Post-task questions

Guidance: Ask immediately after each task, while it is fresh -- not saved for the end.



## Wrap-up

Guidance: Closing questions that catch anything the tasks did not surface, plus a genuine thank you.



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## Worked example

This is a filled-in example, not a template to copy -- it shows what "good" looks like for each field above.

**Intro:** "Thanks for making time. This session is about the tool, not you -- there's no wrong way to use it, and if something is confusing, that's useful information for us, not a mistake on your part. I'll ask you to think out loud as you go -- just say whatever you're thinking, even if it seems obvious. I'm recording this for my own notes only; is that OK?"

**Tasks:** Task 1: "You've just paid for a taxi to a client meeting and have the receipt on your phone. Submit it as an expense." Task 2: "Check whether the claim you submitted last month has been approved yet."

**Post-task questions:** "On a scale of 1-5, how easy or difficult was that?" "What, if anything, made you hesitate?" "Was there a point where you weren't sure what would happen if you clicked something?"

**Wrap-up:** "Is there anything about this process that we didn't touch on today that you'd want to tell us?" "Overall, how does this compare to how you handle it today?" Thank them and confirm how/when they'll hear back if there's a follow-up incentive.

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Free UX toolkit from UX Academy (myuxacademy.com/resources/ux-toolkit/).