Neuro usability testing is a qualitative research method that can be used to investigate the subconscious experience of a web flow. The neuro-usability testing process works as follows:

Participant selection

Per neuro usability test, 10 participants are recruited. This can be a general target group, or a target group with specific selection criteria, depending on the client and goal of the test. These participants all visit the Braingineers research lab individually for 1 hour to perform the test.

Neuro usability test

The session starts with the signing of an informed consent by the participant. This is needed because of the use of medical data for commercial purposes. Then the participant is given an explanation about neuro usability. Finally, the participant is given a task to perform on the website, for example:

‘You are interested in a new mobile subscription including a device and you are checking the possibilities offered by this company. Visit the website and search for a mobile subscription that meets your needs and preferences. Once you have made a choice you can order this subscription with device.’

After explaining the scenario, participant visits the website in complete silence to complete the task. During the test there is no interaction between the participant and the researcher; they perform the task in a natural and undisturbed way, as they would do at home.

While visiting the website, an EEG measurement is done to measure the emotional experience of the participant; frustration, attention and enjoyment are  mapped. Simultaneously we make use of eye tracking to see where people are looking. After the test, all the data is combined in a screen capture where you can see the participants behaviour, eye tracking data and emotions. Hereby, the most important bottlenecks as well as the most joyful moments in the journey are mapped.

Neurofeedback

After execution of the test, a screen capture of the website visit is shown to the participant. An algorithm detects the most significant increases in the EEG data. Those significant increases are shown to the participant, and we ask them how they experienced those moments. By gathering the conscious neurofeedback of the participants additionally to the EEG and eye tracking data, we get insight into the ‘why’ of customer behaviour.