Novice–Expert+

This extension is a lightweight yet powerful tool for usability testing. It logs every step a user takes to complete a task and automatically estimates the time an expert would need for each action. Interaction designers can quickly spot potential points of friction through the novice-expert ratio. The ability to export results as CSV files makes the tool very useful in terms of analysis. It is grounded in established HCI and usability research, adding scientific rigor to its insights. It integrates Fitts’ Law calculations to estimate expert pointing times across different input devices which is a valuable feature for testing on varied hardware. Users should check the tutorial to correctly carry out their testing and understand what the data means.

I had been using the Novice–Expert+ extension for a while. I found it useful to dig into a meta-awareness of my browsing actions and consciously prod myself into moving faster. While it did not cover most of my use cases, I would go back once in a while to just accelerate my work process! Loved how it contributed to my productivity!

I've been using this extension for my academic projects, and it's become my go-to tool for usability testing. It's easy to use and understand, and clearly shows where users struggle in websites. This makes it the perfect tool to evaluate websites, and identify areas to improve. For anyone doing user research or projects in UX, it's a simple yet effective way to get meaningful insights.