Test the Handoff, Not Just the Screen

A usability test can show that someone completed a screen without showing whether they know what happens next. Try testing the handoff itself.

After a person finishes a task, ask: “What would you do next, and what tells you this step is complete?” Don’t guide them toward the intended answer. Note where their expectation differs from the actual next step, then adjust the wording or flow that caused the uncertainty. Give one named owner responsibility for that change, and retest the same task—including a case where information is missing.

A useful completion signal isn’t simply “the page worked.” It’s that the next action and its owner are clear to the person using it. The exception test helps reveal whether the path still makes sense when the usual route doesn’t apply.