Checklist for Usability Testing

Text Boxes:


 Move the mouse cursor over all enterable text boxes. The cursor should change from arrow to insert bar. If it doesn't then the text in the box should be grey or non-updateable.

 Enter text into the box. Should allow to enter valid input.

 Try to overflow the text by typing too many characters - should be stopped.

 Enter invalid characters - Letters in amount fields, try strange characters like +, - * etc. in All fields. Should not allow to enter.

 SHIFT and arrow should select characters. Selection should also be possible with mouse. Double click should select all text in box.

 Tab should move cursor in various text boxes in sequence

 The whole text should be seen when user takes cursor on that field in case the length of the field should be large.



Option (Radio Buttons):

 The left and right arrows should move 'ON' selection.

 So should up and down.

 Select with the mouse by clicking. Should be allowed to select



Check Boxes:


 Clicking with the mouse on the box, or on the text should SET/UNSET the box.

 SPACE bar should do the same.



Command Buttons:


 If the command button leads to another screen, and if the user can enter or change details on the other screen, then the text on the button should be followed by three dots.

 All buttons except for OK and Cancel should have a letter access to them. This is indicated by a letter underlined in the button text. The button should be activated by pressing ALT+letter. Make sure that there is no duplication.

 Click each button once with the mouse - This should activate the button

 Tab to each button. Should take control on the next button. - Press SPACE - This should activate the button

 Tab to another type of control (not a command button). One button on the screen should be default (indicated by a thick black border).Pressing the return key: in ANY CASE no command button control should activate it.

 If there is a Cancel button on the screen, then pressing should activate it.

 If pressing the command button results in uncorrectable data e.g. closing an action step, there should be a message phrased positively with Yes/No answers where Yes results in the completion of the action.



Drop Down List Boxes:


 Pressing the arrow should give list of options. This list may be scrollable. You should not be able to type text in the box.

 Pressing a letter should bring you to the first item in the list with that start with that letter. Pressing ‘Ctrl - F4’ should open/dropdown the list box.

 Spacing should be compatible with the existing windows spacing (word etc.). Items should be in alphabetical order with the exception of blank/none which is at the top or the bottom of the list box.

 Drop down with the item selected should display the list with the selected item on the top.

 Make sure that only one space appears, you shouldn't have a blank line at the bottom.



Combo Boxes:


 Should allow text to be entered. Clicking the arrow should allow user to choose from list.

 Should allow a single selection to be chosen, by clicking with the mouse, or using the up and down arrow keys.

 Pressing a letter should take you to the first item in the list starting with that letter.

 If there is a 'View' or 'Open' button beside the list box then double clicking on a line in the list box, should act in the same way as selecting and item in the list box, then clicking the command button.

 Force the scroll bar to appear, make sure all the data can be seen in the box.


Checking Links:


 Test the outgoing links from all the pages from specific domain under test.

 Test all internal links.

 Test links jumping on the same pages.

 Test links used to send the email to admin or other users from web pages.

 Test to check if there are any orphan pages.

 Lastly in link checking, check for broken links in all above-mentioned links.


Navigation:


 Are all disabled fields avoided in the TAB sequence?

 Are all read-only fields avoided in the TAB sequence?

 Does a scrollbar appear if required?

 Does the Tab Order specified on the screen go in sequence from Top Left to bottom right? This is the default unless otherwise specified.

 Is there a link to home on every single page?

 Is there help for every single page?

 On open of tab focus will be on first editable field

 When an error message occurs does the focus return to the field in error when the user cancels it?

Validation Conditions:

 Does a failure of validation on every field cause a sensible user error message?

 Font color of error message should be different for error & warning message.

 Is the user required to fix entries which have failed validation tests?

 Have any fields got multiple validation rules and if so are all rules being applied?

 If the user enters an invalid value and clicks on the OK button (i.e. does not TAB off the field) is the invalid entry identified and highlighted correctly with an error message?

 Is validation consistently applied at screen level unless specifically required at field level?

 For all numeric fields check whether negative numbers can and should be able to be entered.

 For all numeric fields check the minimum and maximum values and also some mid-range values allowable?

 For all character/alphanumeric fields check the field to ensure that there is a character limit specified and that this limit is exactly correct for the specified database size?

 Do all mandatory fields require user input?

 Asterisk should be placed next to mandatory fields/selection/dropdown.

 If any of the database columns don’t allow null values then the corresponding screen fields must be mandatory. (If any field which initially was mandatory has become optional then check whether null values are allowed in this field.)

 For Date numeric fields check the date format allowed (for egg. dd/mm/yyyy). Try entering date in other formats.