Which method is commonly used to evaluate the usability of technical documents?

User testing is a widely accepted method for evaluating the usability of technical documents because it involves real users interacting with the documentation in a context similar to how they would use it in practice. This method allows writers and evaluators to observe how effectively users can understand and apply the information presented in the documents. User testing often includes tasks where participants are asked to find information or follow instructions in the documentation, giving direct insights into areas of clarity or confusion. The feedback gained from user testing can be invaluable in improving the document's structure, terminology, and overall usability, making it an essential step in the technical writing process.

While focus groups can provide qualitative insights and case studies may reveal long-term usability issues, and statistical analysis can offer quantitative data, user testing delivers hands-on evidence of how a document performs in real-world scenarios, making it the most effective method for assessing usability in this context.