What must be established prior to conducting usability tests?

Establishing test objectives is crucial before conducting usability tests because it sets the foundation for the entire testing process. Test objectives define what you want to achieve with the usability tests, such as assessing the efficiency, effectiveness, or satisfaction level of users while interacting with a product or prototype. Having clear objectives allows you to create focused tasks and questions for participants and ensures that the results of the test will provide actionable insights that align with the goals of the project.

Without well-defined objectives, the usability testing process can lack direction, leading to vague results that may not be applicable or useful for product improvement. Consequently, defining test objectives helps to maintain the relevance and integrity of the testing efforts, enabling you to gather meaningful data that directly addresses the user experience issues you're aiming to explore.