Single Ease Question (SEQ)

The Single Ease Question (SEQ) is a post-task questionnaire consisting of one question: "Overall, how easy or difficult was this task?" Users respond on a 7-point scale from "Very Difficult" (1) to "Very Easy" (7).

Why Use SEQ

Speed: Takes seconds to administer after each task, minimizing disruption to the test flow

Sensitivity: Research shows SEQ is highly sensitive to task difficulty—scores reliably distinguish between easy and hard tasks

Diagnostic Power: Unlike overall metrics (SUS, NPS), SEQ pinpoints which specific tasks cause friction

Benchmarkable: Established benchmark data allows comparison across studies

Interpreting Scores

Based on industry research:

• 6.0+: Easy task—users find it straightforward
• 5.0-5.9: Moderate difficulty—room for improvement
• Below 5.0: Difficult task—likely usability problems

The industry average is approximately 5.5.

Best Practices

Ask immediately: Administer SEQ right after task completion, before memory fades

Do not explain: Let users interpret "easy" and "difficult" in their own terms

Combine with success: A high SEQ with task failure signals the user did not realize they failed

Track per task: The value of SEQ is task-level diagnosis, not overall scores

SEQ vs. SUS

SEQ measures task-level ease; SUS measures overall perceived usability. Use both:

• SEQ after each task to identify problem areas
• SUS at the end to measure overall experience

Together, they answer both "Which tasks need work?" and "How usable is the whole system?"