What we’ve learned from running usability testing with real users

At Path, we’ve run usability testing sessions with users from all walks of life: older adults accessing public health services, students applying for grants, carers navigating complex information systems, and more. Each session reinforces a core truth: we don’t know how something works until we watch someone use it.

For not-for-profits and public sector teams, usability testing is essential to improving digital services. Here’s what we’ve learned from doing it, and why it’s worth the time.

1. People don’t always use digital services the way we expect

No matter how carefully something is designed, users often surprise us. We've seen people scroll past key information, overlook clearly labeled buttons, or become stuck on a step we thought was intuitive.

These moments aren’t failures, they are insights. Usability testing helps us uncover the small friction points that create big frustrations, and fix them before they impact thousands of users.

2. You don’t need fancy labs, just real people and real tasks

There’s a myth that user research needs to be time-consuming or expensive. But in reality, some of our most valuable insights have come from short, remote sessions using simple tools like screen sharing and Zoom.

By asking users to complete typical tasks, such as finding a piece of information, submitting a form, or uploading a document, we can quickly see what’s working and what’s not.

Five users can uncover 80% of usability issues. It doesn’t take much to make a real impact.

3. Accessibility challenges often show up in usability testing

Many organisations run accessibility audits separately from usability work, but the two often intersect. Usability testing can surface barriers for users with visual, cognitive, or physical impairments that aren’t always obvious in a technical review.

Testing with diverse users helps ensure your service is user-centred by design, beyond WCAG compliance.

4. Small changes can have a big impact

One of the most rewarding parts of usability testing is seeing how small tweaks, clearer labels, shorter instructions, improved mobile layouts, can drastically improve the user experience.

This is especially valuable for not-for-profits and public sector organisations with limited budgets. You don’t always need a full redesign to improve outcomes; targeted, research-informed changes can go a long way.

5. It builds empathy and momentum within teams

Finally, one of the hidden benefits of usability testing is how it transforms internal conversations. When stakeholders and team members learn how real users interact with their services, it shifts the conversation from opinions to evidence.

It helps build empathy, align priorities, and create momentum for change, especially when there wasn't a clear plan about what needs fixing.

How we can help

Usability testing is not just about finding flaws. It’s about learning how people really engage with your digital services and using that insight to create more inclusive, effective, and impactful experiences.

If your organisation is ready to improve its digital services, user research is a powerful place to start. At Path, we’re here to help you run meaningful tests, uncover insights, and take action.

Get in touch to learn more about how we support usability testing, UX research, and accessibility audits for purpose-driven teams.

Book an initial free consultation with us