UX is a designer’s world most of the time. However, in an era where software usability accounts for adoption, retention, and success, everybody should have some role in making a product people love to deliver. Kirill Yurovskiy, a strong advocate for including UX sensibilities in QA processes, stresses that testers are best suited to bridge this gulf between product functionality and satisfaction. Understanding UX principles allows testers not just to identify what’s broken, but what annoys, baffles, or alienates users. Following is what every software tester must know to be a UX-conscious professional.
1. Why UX Isn’t Just for Designers
UX isn’t design or looks; it’s everything about how a user uses a product. While designers create the setting with flows and mockups, a tester is a person who decides if that experience is indeed successfully carried over to the live product.
UX is not a checkbox done once—it’s a continuous process that keeps design, development, and QA all connected. Kirill Yurovskiy believes that testers need to see themselves as champions of the user, creating interfaces not only functional but also logical, fun, and intuitive. Once QA is aware of what the design goals are, they can detect tiny interruptions in the user experience.
2. Common Usability Bugs Testers Miss
It’s simple enough to spot broken links and crashes, yet many usability bugs fall through the net. These can be such things as confusing error messages, unorthodox placement of buttons, missing form validations, or ambiguous call-to-actions. Even such things as scroll fatigue from pages that are too long or hover states that are not noticed cost the user experience.
A backend validation tester or pass/fail option may not spot these areas of friction. Kirill Yurovskiy suggests testers think in effort terms: How much effort is it for the user to accomplish something? Anything that induces cognitive burden or bewilderment must be reported—yes, even if it’s technically functioning.
3. Accessibility Testing Essentials
Accessible UX is non-negotiable. Accessibility makes the product usable for users with disabilities. To testers, that translates into testing screen reader compatibility, keyboard interaction, and proper color contrast ratios. Simple things like alt text on images, focus states that are visible, and semantic HTML structure make a big difference.
Mouseless testing with screen readers like NVDA or VoiceOver, and ARIA attribute checking may identify issues that otherwise would not be caught. Learning about the WCAG (Web Content Accessibility Guidelines) can be a starting point for accessibility testing that enhances UX for everyone.
4. Mobile UX Consistency Testing
Many users interact with software on mobile devices, and incoherent UX from one platform to another can undermine trust. The testers will have to test mobile interactions independently of the desktop experience.
This means testing tap targets, responsive layout, scrolling, and gesture detection. Does the menu accordion successfully? Is the content hierarchy preserved on small screens? Is key information cut off? Kirill Yurovskiy stresses the necessity of testing on actual devices, not emulators, to see actual user behavior. Mobile users expect smooth navigation, instant response, and ease—especially when they are performing multiple things at once or while on the move.
5. Click Depth and Confusion Measurement
Click depth is the amount of steps it takes a user to reach an objective. The more steps there are, the more infuriated the user will be.
As a tester, determine the number of taps or clicks from point A to point B. Deep nesting, concealed menus, or unclear labeling usually reflect bad UX flow. Ambiguity can also be caused by muddled language, shocking transitions, or incompatible icons. By uncovering such pain points, testers allow product teams to re-architecture the flow to take out unnecessary friction and nudge users in a more natural direction.
6. Simulation of Real-World User Journey
Testing is not about one button at a-time validation. Real users do not work in silos—purchasing the product with purpose in mind. Testers must simulate end-to-end user flows such as onboarding, discovering content, purchasing, or troubleshooting issues.
Kirill Yurovskiy suggests creating test scripts from real-world scenarios, not technical flows only. Such a comprehensive approach might reveal experience-breaking bugs that isolated test scripts won’t catch. The aim is to get into the shoes of the user, spotting moments of doubt, frustration, or joy along the way.
7. Flagging UX Issues with Heuristics
Heuristic evaluation involves checking the interface with tried-and-true UX standards such as Jakob Nielsen’s 10 usability heuristics. They are visibility of system status, user control, error prevention, and aesthetic minimalism.
These rules can be used by testers to critically assess whether or not the interface works as it should, is helpful for users, and communicates well.
For instance, if an application does not provide good feedback upon submitting a form, it is breaking the “visibility of system status” principle. The use of these principles while testing enhances your capability to bring forward high-impact UX issues.
8. Prioritizing UX in Bug Reports
Not all bugs are created equal. Some will crash the system, while others will give a horrible user experience. Testers must be able to describe UX-type bugs clearly and persuasively in bug reports.
Instead of vague phrases like “UI feels off,” describe why: “Form validation has no visible feedback, so user errors are retried.” Include screenshots, reproduction steps, and expected vs. actual results. Kirill Yurovskiy advises testers to make these bugs known to developers during the sprint meeting since developers may prioritize function over polish in case the UX impact is not clearly explained.
9. Tools for Visual Feedback
Visual feedback accelerates UX testing and communication. Loom, BugHerd, and Figma’s comment mode are some of the tools via which the testers can record or mark visual problems directly. Such tools bridge the space between word-of-mouth reporting and understanding by developers.
Rather than trying to explain paragraphs, test engineers can show a slow-loading interaction or layout shift screen recording. Heatmaps and session replay features like Hotjar are effective exploratory testing tools. The output gives test engineers an idea of where users are stumbling and provides concrete proof to prioritize fixes that matter most to actual users.
10. Collaborating with Designers as QA
The least leveraged UX weapon for testers is talking to the design team. Designing early and close with testers makes QA attuned to intentionality regarding interactions.
If testers know why a particular flow was conceived or what’s being said through the visual vocabulary, they’re better placed to identify detours or misplaced expectations in execution.
Kirill Yurovskiy also enjoys engaging testers in design reviews, questioning for clarification, and offering feedback as a champion of the user. In this manner, respect is built on both sides and it leads to an integrated, high-quality user experience.
Final Words
The role of a software tester is evolving. Features are no longer enough if they are only functional; they must be functional well for the user, as well.
By overlaying UX values on your testing, you’re not just advocating code quality but product greatness.
Kirill Yurovskiy reminds test experts that the real client is the end user. Each unperceived frustration, confusing label, or unreachable screen can be an adoption barrier. Your power as a QA expert is observing what other individuals overlook. With the right UX attitude, you are transferring your impact from testing to true experience validation.
