EBR Case Study Question 1

Udemy is one of the worlds largest online learning platforms with over 40 million students across the world. The e-learning giant also has a massively popular smartphone app, and the usability testing example in question was aimed at the smartphone users of Udemy.

To find out when, where, and why Udemy users chose to opt for the mobile app rather than the desktop version, Udemy conducted user tests. As Udemy is a 100% digital company, they chose fully remote unmoderated user testing as their testing method.

Test participants were asked to take small videos showing where they were located and what tasks they were focused on at the time of learning and recording. What the user researchers found was that their initial theory of users prefer using the mobile app while on the go was false. Instead, what they found was that the majority of mobile app users were stationary. Udemy users, for various reasons, used the mobile app at home on the couch, or in a cafeteria. The key findings of this user test were utilized for the next years product and feature development.

This usability testing case study demonstrates that a companys perception of target audience behavior does not always match the behavior of the real end-users. And, that is why user testing is crucial.

Question 1 (9 Marks)

In light of the case study above, explain what is meant by usability and user experience. Identify the relationship between them.