Record What Happened During a Usability Task

Plan one clear task

Choose a fictional task that relates to a research question. Describe the goal without telling the participant exactly which control to select. GOV.UK explains moderated usability testing as observing participants attempting tasks.

For practice, ask a consenting colleague to find a suitable session in a fictional booking prototype. Explain that the design is being examined. Agree how notes are handled and avoid collecting personal information that is not needed.

Observe without completing the task for them

Allow the participant to work through the task. Note the route they take, where they pause and what they say. Follow a prepared approach to prompts so that your help does not quietly change what the exercise is examining.

If the participant asks what a heading means, record that question. Do not immediately rewrite their behaviour as a conclusion such as “users hate this page”. One session is an observation in a particular context.

Separate evidence and interpretation

Record a concrete event before writing its possible meaning. “Selected the wrong session after reading the date label” is more useful than an unsupported statement that the navigation failed. Include the task and prototype version.

Keep exact quotations distinct from summaries. Use anonymised practice references rather than names in a shared workbook. Follow the approved research process when working with actual participants or sensitive information.

Choose a next step

Review the observation with the team and identify a design question, change to explore or further research need. Keep limitations visible, including an incomplete prototype or a task that was not clearly framed.

Download the workbook in PDF or Word. Record a fictional task, observed event, interpretation and follow-up. A practice session helps develop observation skills; it does not represent all users or replace a planned research programme.

Source and practice note

The linked official guidance provides background. Examples, exercises and record layouts are original RDE learning material. Use fictional content for practice and follow your organisation’s research, accessibility and information-handling procedures.

Read the official guidance

Cover image: AI-generated illustrative scene created specifically for this resource.

Download and complete the exercise

Read or print the PDF

Download the editable Word document

Printable PDF and editable Word document. Version 2.0, 8 October 2026. Personal and internal organisational adaptation permitted with Jefferson Otonbara Imgbi author credit retained.