Usability benchmark (task-based) survey template

Compare task success and difficulty across two tasks, then capture overall usability and improvement priorities.

13 questions · 4 pages · 5 answer formats · About 3 min

Time is estimated from all questions, including matrix rows. Branching can shorten a path; reading, consent and longer written answers can add time. Confirm it with a pilot.

See example results and what to do next

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Free to use within your plan's response allowance. Edit the wording and options before publishing.

Use this template opens an editable draft after sign-in. Questions, answer options and configured logic carry over; nothing is published until you choose to publish.

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Try the actual questions, follow-ups and endings. Preview answers stay in this tab and disappear when you close or restart it. Nothing is submitted.

Who this is for

UX teams comparing the same task-based experience across designs or releases.

Before you send it

Replace Task 1 and Task 2 with testable instructions and define success before sessions. Ask each task's questions immediately afterward. Keep task wording and recruitment consistent across comparisons.

Questionnaire preview

These are the questions and answer options copied into your draft. Bracketed text is a prompt to customize. Matrix questions contain several statements, so allow time for each row.

Page 1

1. Were you able to complete Task 1? (required)
Choose one
Yes, easilyYes, with difficultyNo, I gave upNo, I thought I finished but didn't
2. How easy or difficult was Task 1? (required)
1–7 scale (Very difficult → Very easy)
3. Where, if anywhere, did Task 1 slow you down?
Long text
Page 2: Task 2
4. Were you able to complete Task 2? (required)
Choose one
Yes, easilyYes, with difficultyNo, I gave upNo, I thought I finished but didn't
5. How easy or difficult was Task 2? (required)
1–7 scale (Very difficult → Very easy)
6. Where, if anywhere, did Task 2 slow you down?
Long text
Page 3: Overall
7. Thinking about the whole experience:
- — I found this easy to use
- — I felt confident using it
- — I needed to learn a lot before I could get going
- — Things were where I expected them to be
Strongly disagreeDisagreeNeutralAgreeStrongly agree
8. Overall, how easy was this to use?
1–7 scale (Very difficult → Very easy)
9. If you could change one thing, what would it be?
Long text
Page 4: Context and next steps
10. How familiar were you with this product before today?
Choose one
Never used itTried it once or twiceOccasional userRegular user
11. Which areas most need improvement?
Rank the options
NavigationLabels and wordingFeedback after actionsSpeedError recovery
12. What helped you work out what to do when you were unsure?
Long text
13. Which device did you use for the tasks?
Choose one
PhoneTabletLaptop or desktopOther

Use this template →

Use the builder link to retain logic, piping, consent, scoring, and randomization. Plain text copies wording only; piped answers become editable placeholders.

How to read the results

Compare observed task success, reported difficulty, and written friction separately. The overall battery is a custom set of items, not the System Usability Scale and should not be reported as a SUS score.

Preview your edited survey on desktop and mobile, run a small pilot, and review an export before inviting the full audience. Adding questions is optional: keep the ones that support your decision.

Example results · fictional data

Find the task that needs another look

40 fictional participants tried two tasks. Task 1 was finding an invoice; Task 2 was changing a billing contact. These are self-reported outcomes.

Q1 · 40 answers

Were you able to complete Task 1?

Yes, easily24 · 60%
Yes, with difficulty8 · 20%
No, I gave up4 · 10%
No, I thought I finished but didn't4 · 10%

Q4 · 40 answers

Were you able to complete Task 2?

Yes, easily12 · 30%
Yes, with difficulty12 · 30%
No, I gave up10 · 25%
No, I thought I finished but didn't6 · 15%

Illustration only. Calculated from 40 invented answer sets using Plumeform's analysis code. Your results depend on the people you recruit and the answers they give.

What you can take from this

Task 1 has 32 reported completions out of 40; Task 2 has 24. Completion includes both 'easily' and 'with difficulty'. The latter deserves attention even when the task gets done.

What to do next

Review the difficult and unsuccessful attempts before changing the flow. Run the same tasks with a comparable audience to evaluate a redesign. This questionnaire does not produce a SUS score.

Plan your UX research workflow Try a shareable sample report

Keep building your study

Decision study (comprehension gate)

Pilot an illustrative choice task with a consent gate, scored comprehension checks, a recap branch, and debrief questions.

Estimate participant time

Count the questions and reading load before confirming timing with a pilot.

Start

Start with this template.
Make it your own.

Use this template →Try the survey

Free to use within your plan's response allowance. 100 responses a month on Free, and no credit card.