For many UX professionals, usability testing is a go-to tool for evaluating a product or prototype’s learnability, ease of use, and alignment with user needs. In this interactive presentation with audience discussion, we will discuss strategies for integrating usability testing continuously throughout a product’s lifecycle (discovery, design, development, and post-deployment). We will identify considerations, methods, metrics, and modern tools appropriate at each stage. We’ll share our experiences in how ongoing testing can help you generate deeper insights into user needs and strategies, foster empathy and alignment among stakeholders, help organizations understand how to better engage with and support customers, and fuel strategic innovation. After all, there is nothing like watching real users perform real tasks to challenge our assumptions, test our designs, craft compelling stories about user experiences, and generate “ah-ha” moments.