User Experience
Task Completion
Plain English
Did the user finish the task?
Definition
Task completion is whether a user can successfully finish a specific task they set out to do. It is the first measure to check in guideUsability TestingObserving users complete tasks to identify usability issues, friction, and barriers to success.Open guide, because a product people cannot finish tasks on has failed whatever else it does well.
In practice
Used in guideUsability TestingObserving users complete tasks to identify usability issues, friction, and barriers to success.Open guide to evaluate effectiveness.
In context
It is the first number to look at in any glossaryUsabilityUsability is how easy and efficient it is for users to complete tasks within a product. It focuses on clarity, simplicity, and reducing effort so users can achieve their goals without confusion or friction.Open glossary term test, because a well-liked glossaryInterfaceAn interface is the point of interaction between a user and a system, where inputs are made and outputs are received. It can be visual, physical, or conversational.Open glossary term people cannot finish a task on has failed at the only thing that mattered.
The reality
Completion does not always mean the experience was easy or efficient.
Compared with
Task Completion vs Task Success Rate
Task completion is whether an individual finished. glossarySuccess RateSuccess rate is the proportion of users who complete a given task successfully. It depends on defining what counts as success before testing begins, otherwise the threshold moves to fit the result.Open glossary term is the proportion across participants. One is an glossaryObservationObservation is a research method where user behaviour is watched and analysed without interference.Open glossary term, the other a metric, and the metric needs a definition of what counts as success before testing starts.
FAQ
Common questions
A few practical answers to the questions that usually come up around this term.
What is task completion?
Whether users successfully complete a task.
How is it measured?
Through testing and glossaryObservationObservation is a research method where user behaviour is watched and analysed without interference.Open glossary term.
Why is it important?
It shows if the product works.
What is a limitation?
It does not show effort or difficulty.
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