Survey · Business
System usability survey template
Anchored to a real task: people say what they tried to do and whether they managed it, and anyone who didn't is asked where they got stuck. The ten standard usability statements sit in one grid, so you can score them the usual way, and willing users can sign up for a follow-up session.
Try it live
Try it as a respondent
Every question, and where it leads
The conversation
What a respondent is asked, in order.
Thanks for trying the system. A few questions about how that went, about four minutes.
What were you trying to do just now?
Did you manage to do it?
Where did it go wrong?
Overall, how easy or hard was that task?
How much do you agree with each statement about the system?
Where did you slow down, if anywhere?
How often do you use this system?
If you could change one thing about it, what would it be?
Would you be open to a short follow-up session with our team?
Where should we send the invitation?
Endings
Thanks for your help
Thank you, we'll be in touch 🙌
The flow
Where each answer leads. Every route here is editable once the form is yours.
Short text
Single select
Long text
Opinion scale
Matrix
Multi select
Single select
Long text
Yes / No
What this template uses
- Short text
- Single select
- Long text
- Opinion scale
- Matrix
- Multi select
- Yes / No
- 5 branches
- 2 endings
Questions to consider
- Which task should people complete before they see this survey, and is it the same for everyone?
- Do you want the standard ten statements exactly as written, so the score can be compared over time?
- Should the word "system" be replaced with the name of your product or tool?
- Who runs the follow-up sessions, and how many can you realistically hold?
How to use the responses
Export the responses to CSV to calculate the usability score: for the odd-numbered statements subtract 1 from the answer (1 to 5), for the even-numbered ones subtract the answer from 5, add them up and multiply by 2.5 to get a score out of 100. Read that score next to the task answers, because a good average can hide a task nobody finished. The stuck and slow-down answers tell you where to look first, and the follow-up volunteers are your next round of testing.
How to customize and share it
- 1Replace "the system" with the name of your product, and keep the wording of the ten statements otherwise unchanged so scores stay comparable.
- 2Edit the example in the first question to a task from your own product.
- 3Share the link right after a test session or task, or embed it in the tool itself, and run it again after each major change.
Frequently asked questions
What is the System Usability Scale?
It's a widely used questionnaire of ten statements, alternating positive and negative, each answered from strongly disagree to strongly agree. The answers combine into one score out of 100.
How do you calculate a System Usability Scale score?
Convert each answer to 1 to 5. Odd statements score the answer minus 1, even statements score 5 minus the answer, then add them up and multiply by 2.5.
When should I send a usability survey?
Straight after someone completes a real task, while the experience is fresh. Asking people in general how easy a tool is gives you impressions rather than evidence.
Can I change the usability statements?
You can edit every question in this template, but if you change the ten statements the result is no longer a standard score. Add your own questions around the grid instead.