How to Write a Good Usability Testing Script? (Tips + Templates)

As you probably know, a key element of building a great UX on your website is understanding how real users interact with your product. Usability Testing – a fundamental part of UX research – provides an effective way to gather real feedback and spot potential problems before launching. 

However, without a clear structure guide, usability testing sessions can easily become inefficient and inconsistent. In this blog, we’ll guide you through creating an effective usability testing script. You’ll learn what to include in the script, get usability testing tips to make it work, and receive ready-to-use templates that you can apply right away. By the end, you’ll have the right script you need to conduct usability tests that deliver valuable insights to improve your product.

Why Create Usability Testing Script?

A usability testing script is more than just a guide—it’s a critical tool for ensuring consistency, focus, and reliable results in every testing session. Here’s why it matters:

1. Ensures Consistency Across Tests

Using a script guarantees that each usability test is conducted similarly. Every participant receives the same instructions, performs the same tasks, and answers the same questions. This makes it easier to compare feedback from different sessions and identify common patterns or pain points.

2. Keeps Sessions Aligned with Goals

A script helps moderators stay focused on the primary goals of the usability testing plan. With clearly defined tasks and key questions, it keeps the session on track and ensures your team collects feedback on the most important aspects, whether that’s how users navigate your site, interact with a feature, or complete specific actions.

3. Minimizes Bias in testing

Without a script, moderators might unintentionally influence participants by changing instructions or asking leading questions. A script standardizes the process to ensure all participants receive neutral guidance, which reduces the risk of bias and helps you collect accurate feedback that reflects genuine user experiences.

You may want to read more: 8 Common Usability Testing Methods in User-Centered Design

Key components of Usability Test Script

This section highlights a step-by-step guide to the script for each part of the usability testing process, outlining its key components.

1. Introduction

The introduction is your first interaction with the participant and sets the tone for the entire usability testing session. The goal of usability studies here is to make the participant feel comfortable, establish trust, and explain the process in a way that feels clear and friendly. A relaxed participant is more likely to provide honest feedback and think out loud during the test, which is key to gathering useful insights.

Template for Introduction: Welcome and Icebreaker: “Hi [Participant’s Name], thank you so much for joining us today.  How are you doing?  Purpose: I’m here today to gather your thoughts on our new [product]. We’d like to see how you interact with it and hear your opinions.”  Reassurance: “Just to be clear, this is not a test of your abilities—there are no right or wrong answers. We’re testing the product, not you. Your honest feedback is incredibly important to us, whether something works perfectly or feels confusing.” Encourage Thinking Aloud: “During the session, we will be instructing you to interact with the product/complete a few tasks. It would be really helpful if you could think out loud while you’re doing the same.”  Recording & Privacy: “I’d like to let you know that this session will be recorded so we can review it later for research purposes. The recording is confidential, and your personal information will remain private.” Questions & Consent: “Are you okay with us recording this session? Do you have any questions before we get started?”

Tips: 

• Start by introducing yourself, welcoming the participant, and keeping things friendly to ease any tension.
• Briefly explain how long the test will take and let them know they can ask questions at any point of time.
• Double-check that the participant fully understands the study and accepts to be recorded. 

2. Background questions

Before diving into tasks, it’s important to start with a few background questions to understand your participants better.

Background questions usually cover areas like demographics (age, role, or relevant experience), experience with similar products, or familiarity with the type of tasks being tested. These questions give you insight into the participant’s level of expertise, which can help you better assess how they approach tasks during the test.

This step not only provides valuable context for interpreting participant feedback but also creates a more comfortable environment.

Template for Background Questions: Demographics: “Could you tell me a bit about yourself—your age, occupation, or field of work? How long have you been working at [Company]?” Experience with Similar Products: “How long have you been using [product]? In a day generally how many times do you use [product]? Have you seen a feature called [feature name] in the [product]. Have you ever used this feature? If yes, how did you like it?” Familiarity with Tasks: “Have you done tasks like [task type being tested] before? How comfortable are you with them? What device do you usually use for these tasks—desktop, mobile, or tablet? And where do you typically perform them—at home, in the office, or on the go?” Transition to Tasks: “Awesome! Let’s start interacting with the product now!”

Tips:

• Keep questions open-ended and relevant to the test goals.
• Avoid asking too many or overly personal questions to keep participants comfortable.

3. Task Description

This is the stage where participants start interacting with your product and completing specific tasks. Creating well-structured tasks is essential because they help simulate real-world scenarios, making it easier to observe how users would naturally behave. 

Template for Task Description: Session Overview: “Here’s how the session will go: I’ll ask you to complete a few tasks using [product/website/app], and I might ask some follow-up questions along the way. The session should take about [duration]. If you have any hesitations or concerns while completing the task, feel free to ask at any time.”  Task Instructions & Encourage “Thinking Aloud”: “Your goal is to [specific goal, e.g., locate and purchase a product, or register for an account]. Feel free to think out loud as you go, sharing your thoughts and reactions—it helps us understand your experience better.” Completion Criteria: “We’ll consider the task complete when you [specific completion point, e.g., reach the confirmation page, or successfully submit a form]. Don’t worry if you encounter any challenges; we’re here to learn from your feedback.” Disclaimers: “As this is just a test design developed by the designers, this flow is not properly coded and hence you might find a few functionalities not working at the moment.” Assuming the user is on the right(product page), perform this task”. Starting the Task: “Whenever you’re ready, you can begin the task. Let me know if you have any questions before we start!”

Tips:

• Design tasks to be realistic and similar to what users would do in real life.
• Present tasks as relatable scenarios to help users engage naturally and avoid step-by-step instructions so users can navigate independently.
• Plan usability testing questions related to each task in advance.

4. Concluding questions 

Once the usability test is finished, the final step is to ask a set of closing questions to gather overall feedback. This helps you gain a broader understanding of the participant’s experience and identify any additional feedback they may have.

Template for Concluding Questions: Overall Feedback: “How did you feel about the tasks you just completed? Was there anything you found particularly easy or challenging?” Suggestions for Improvement: “If you had a magic wand, what would you change about this product to make it better?  General Experience: “Does [product/website/app] meet your expectations based on your experience so far? How would you describe your overall experience on a scale of 1 (worst) -10 (best)?” Wrap-Up Thank You: “That wraps up our session! Thank you so much for your time and valuable feedback—it really helps us make [product/website/app] better.” Next Steps: “If you have any questions or think of anything else after this session, feel free to reach out. We truly appreciate your feedback!”

Tips: 

• Ask participants about the overall difficulty of the tasks to receive valuable insights. 
• Express genuine appreciation to leave a positive impression and let them know their input will help in improving the product.

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Conclusion

Creating a well-prepared usability testing script is crucial for maintaining consistency, minimizing bias, and gathering meaningful feedback. A well-crafted script ensures you stay focused, ask the right questions, and provide a user-centered experience throughout the testing process. By carefully structuring your script, you set clear expectations, guide the session effectively, and foster an environment where participants feel comfortable sharing honest feedback.

If you’re looking for a UX Audit service provider or exploring reliable usability testing companies to evaluate and enhance your digital product, our team of usability experts is ready to conduct thorough product usability tests, providing a detailed evaluation report tailored to your unique needs.

As a leading UI/UX design studio, Lollypop specializes in delivering comprehensive product development from UX Research, Product Design, and Development across various digital platforms. 

Contact us today to schedule a FREE consultation and explore how we can implement usability testing standards to enhance your product’s user experience!