SEQ: Task Difficulty Metric

What is SEQ?

SEQ (Single Ease Question) is a user experience research method consisting of a single simple question aimed at assessing how easy it was to use a product, system, or interface. This method allows quick collection of user feedback on a specific task or feature.

Users are asked to complete a certain task using the product or interface and then answer one question about how easy or difficult the task was. The question is typically rated on a scale, for example, from 1 to 7, where 1 means "very difficult" and 7 means "very easy."

What is SEQ used for?

SEQ is used in key areas related to studying and improving user experience (UX). Main objectives include:

1. Quick feedback collection. SEQ enables efficient gathering of user data about the ease of using a specific function or process, helping make faster decisions during product development and improvement.
2. Focus on user experience. It helps teams concentrate on UX by highlighting product aspects that users find difficult and need enhancement.
3. Identifying problem areas. SEQ scores can pinpoint features or interface parts users find challenging, guiding efforts to improve them.
4. Comparing before and after changes. SEQ measures the impact of product improvements by comparing ease-of-use scores pre- and post-changes.
5. Supporting decision-making. SEQ data supports decisions at various product development stages, including design, development, and testing.
6. Easy integration. Due to its simplicity, SEQ easily integrates into product development and UX testing without requiring significant resources or preparation time.

How is the SEQ metric calculated?

SEQ is based on user responses to a single question about the ease of completing a task. The calculation process involves:

1. Question formulation. Craft a question evaluating task ease, e.g., "How easy was it to complete task X?" or "Rate how easily you used feature Y."
2. Rating scale. Responses use a predefined numeric scale, commonly from 1 to 5, 1 to 7, or 1 to 10, where the lowest number means "very difficult" and the highest means "very easy." Sometimes verbal descriptors accompany the scale.
3. Collecting responses. After task completion, users answer the SEQ question.
4. Calculating the average. The key SEQ metric is the average (or median) of all collected responses, providing an overall ease-of-use score.
5. Analysis and interpretation. Results are analyzed to determine general usability: high averages indicate ease of use, while low averages highlight usability issues needing attention.
6. Additional analysis. SEQ is often supplemented with qualitative feedback, interviews, or product usage data for deeper insights.

General SEQ methodology

SEQ methodology focuses on evaluating the ease or difficulty of specific tasks in a product or system. It’s simple yet provides valuable data for design and functionality improvements. Main steps include:

1. Clearly define what you want to learn about UX using SEQ.
2. Select specific tasks to evaluate ease of completion.
3. Formulate a clear question about task ease.
4. Choose a numeric rating scale, e.g., 1–5 or 1–7.
5. Invite users to perform tasks and answer the SEQ question afterward.
6. Calculate average or median scores for each task.
7. Identify where users face difficulties and develop improvement recommendations.
8. After product improvements, conduct retesting to assess effectiveness.

What is a normal SEQ score?

Normal SEQ scores depend on product context, target audience, and task specifics. Common rating scales are 1–5, 1–7, or 1–10, where higher values indicate easier user perception. Guidelines include:

• Scale 1 to 7: Average scores above 4 suggest tasks are relatively easy. Scores of 5+ often indicate good usability.
• Scale 1 to 5: A score of 3 may be the threshold; above it, ease perception is positive. Scores of 4+ suggest good usability.
• Scale 1 to 10: Scores of 7+ typically denote good usability.

“Normal” SEQ depends on research goals and tasks. New features may have lower scores initially, while familiar functions should score higher. Changes over time, especially after improvements, can be more important than absolute scores.

How to improve SEQ scores

Improving SEQ involves focusing on user experience and usability. Strategies include:

1. Analyze SEQ alongside qualitative feedback to understand score drivers.
2. Conduct usability testing to identify user problems deeply.
3. Simplify UI with intuitive design and minimal complexity.
4. Provide clear instructions and tutorials to help users learn the product.
5. Optimize loading speed and performance to enhance user perception.
6. Adapt the product to audience preferences and expectations.
7. Implement ongoing improvements using user feedback iteratively.
8. Optimize key user flows focusing on critical tasks.
9. Foster a user-centric culture engaging the whole team in UX improvement.

These strategies systematically improve user experience and usability, leading to higher SEQ scores.