UMUX: Product Usability Metric

What is UMUX?

UMUX (Usability Metric for User Experience) is a measurement method used to evaluate the usability and overall user experience when interacting with a product or system. This tool is a short questionnaire consisting of a few items that helps researchers and designers quickly assess user perception of a product.

UMUX includes questions aimed at evaluating effectiveness, ease of use, satisfaction, and meeting user expectations. Responses are typically given on a Likert scale, where respondents express their opinion from "strongly disagree" to "strongly agree."

There are different versions of UMUX, including UMUX-Lite, which is a simplified version with fewer questions for even quicker assessment. These tools are useful for gathering fast user feedback at various stages of product development, from concept to release and further improvement.

UMUX Administration Procedure

The procedure for conducting UMUX generally follows specific steps to effectively measure usability and user satisfaction with a product or system. The main stages are:

1. Clearly define what you want to study with UMUX, e.g., overall user satisfaction or specific interaction aspects.
2. Choose between the full UMUX or UMUX-Lite version depending on your goals and resources.
3. Create questions based on standard UMUX templates, adapting them to your product as needed.
4. Identify your target audience, such as current or potential users.
5. Recruit participants from your target group for the survey.
6. Distribute the survey via available channels (online, email, social media).
7. Collect responses and analyze the data.
8. Interpret results in the context of your goals, identifying product strengths and weaknesses.
9. Prepare a report with findings and improvement recommendations.
10. Develop and implement product changes based on feedback.
11. Repeat the process after changes or periodically to track improvements and adapt to user needs.

Instructions

The standard UMUX survey includes four statements, with participants asked to rate their agreement on a 7-point scale from "strongly disagree" (1) to "strongly agree" (7):

1. The functionality of this website/product/app/prototype fully meets my needs.
2. My experience with this website/product/app/prototype has been unsatisfactory.
3. This website/product/app/prototype is easy to use.
4. I spent more time than expected learning to use this website/product/app/prototype comfortably.

There is also a simplified UMUX-Lite version consisting of two items:

1. The functionality of this website/product/app/prototype fully meets my needs.
2. This website/product/app/prototype is easy to use.

Answer Analysis

To calculate the UMUX score:

1. For odd-numbered items, subtract 1 from the given score.
2. For even-numbered items, subtract the score from 7 to get values ranging from 0 to 6.
3. Add the results for all four items.
4. Divide the sum by 24 (maximum possible total) and multiply by 100% to get a percentage score.
5. Calculate the average UMUX score across all participants.

When using a 5-point scale, adjust the calculations accordingly: subtract scores from 5 instead of 7 in step 2, and divide by 16 instead of 24 in step 4.

For the 7-point scale in UMUX-Lite:

1. Subtract 1 from each of the two item scores.
2. Add the results and divide by 12 (maximum total), then multiply by 100% to get the percentage.
3. Calculate the average UMUX-Lite score across participants.

What is a Normal UMUX Score?

The UMUX score evaluates user experience and usability of products and services. Unlike some other usability and satisfaction metrics, there is no strict "normal" or "standard" value universally acceptable for all products and contexts. However, based on research and UX best practices, some benchmarks are:

• Above Average: Scores above 80 indicate most users find the product easy to use and well-suited to their needs.
• Average: Scores between 68 and 80 suggest the product is relatively usable but has room for improvement.
• Below Average: Scores below 68 may indicate UX issues needing attention.

These numbers are guidelines rather than strict rules. The "normal" UMUX value may vary by audience and product context. Even small improvements in UMUX can significantly enhance overall user satisfaction and perception.

For better interpretation, compare UMUX results with similar products in your industry or conduct regular surveys to track changes and identify areas for product growth.