Are UI experienced? Usability testing fundamentals anyone can use

1. Are UI experienced?Usability testing fundamentals anyone can use Karen L. BachmannSeascape Consulting, Inc. Lisa K. HarrisArt Institute of Tampa June 2008

2. Usability defined • A number of formal definitions are available: • ISO 9241-11 and 13407 • Jakob Nielsen • Usability Professionals’ Association • Wikipedia • A process for delivering the quality of usability • A quality of a product

3. Analysis Design Development Testing Maintenance User Research Task Analysis Environment Analysis UI Design Prototypes Usability Requirements UI Functional Prototypes Screen Elements, Interactions, and Behaviors User Interface Usability Testing Usability in the development life cycle

4. Usability testing • Evaluates the usability of a design against defined success criteria • Conducted throughout the development life cycle • Preferably occurs early and often • Tests the following questions: • Does the product meet user needs? • Does the product meet user expectations? • Does the product help users succeed?

5. What is a usability test, really? • Focuses on “use it” not “like it” • Looks at very specific user goals and real-world tasks • Involves real users, not necessarily the customer$ • Ensures that the design satisfies users and helps products succeed • Can be very informal and still be successful

6. Benefits of the informal approach • Fast and focused • Just-in-time feedback during the design and development phases • Opportunity for many touch points • Achievable by anyone on the team

7. Crazy enough to work • The informality is infectious • It’s relaxing and interactive for the users • Users have little trouble moving from screen to paper when necessary (as long as they match) • The fact that it’s obviously a work in progress encourages users to make suggestions and talk easily • Users will feel that they are making a real contribution to the development of new products

8. Planning a usability test • WHO: The most significant group of users • WHAT: Specific user tasks to test • WHEN: Testing schedule • WHERE: Location to meet test participants • HOW: The usability test methods to use at each phase of development; test scenarios • WHY: Results necessary to pass

9. WHO: Test Participants • Understand the most significant group of users to test • Highest priority usability requirements • Highest quantity of usability requirements • 2-3 users per round • 1 user > no users • Some users who are not the target users of the product > no users of the perfect profile

10. WHAT: Task Scenarios • Focused on real-world user tasks to test • Task != functional requirement 1.1.3.5 • Scenarios more resemble word problems in mathematics • Plan facilitation and interaction areas • Not like UAT in that you do not define a specific path or solution to the users • Do define data for users to use during testing

11. WHEN & WHERE • Accommodate your test participants’ availability • In a lab environment • Within the user’s environment • Anywhere you can meet users • Be flexible

12. HOW: Facilitating the Test • Walkthrough/Talkthrough: Have the user complete tasks while talking through thought process • Ask questions and pursue ideas as they emerge • Don’t guide, correct, or defend • Encourage any final thoughts and suggestions • Thank participants! • Make key notes after the session

13. HOW: Moderating the Test • Be nice and empathetic • Recognize they are experts • Look for “thought bubbles” and encourage them to keep talking • Don’t expect participants to design for you although welcome suggestions • Thank participants! Inspired by Steve Krug, Don’t make me think

14. WHY: Success criteria • What can you learn • Quantitative • Qualitative • What to look for • Problems completing a task • Miscues and surprises • Excitement • Actions > opinions

15. Thoughts on testing logistics • Observers • Level of access to users and visibility during test • Relationship to participants (supervisors? peers?) • Ground rules for interaction • Buy-in and involvement • Recording • Handwritten notes • Screen movies to capture movements • Audio and video of participant • Permissions to use audio, video, or name

16. Reporting • Share your findings • Focus on significant conclusions and provide recommendations • 1-2 pages (no “Big Honkin’ Report”) • Bullets and lists are good • Tailor formality to your audience • Recognize the limits of your data • Be prepared to share test methods and scenarios

17. Usability testing references • C. Barnum. Usability Testing and Research. • J. Dumas, D. Chisnell. Handbook of Usability Testing: How to Plan, Design, and Conduct Effective Tests, 2nd Ed. • S. Krug. Don’t Make Me Think: A Common Sense Approach to Web Usability. • J. Nielsen. Usability Engineering. • D. Stone, C. Jarrett, M. Woodroffe, S. Minocha. User Interface Design and Evaluation. • K. Summers, M. Summers. Creating Websites that Work.

18. Organizations and groups • Usability Professionals’ Association: http://upassoc.org/ • STC Usability & User Experience: http://www.stcsig.org/usability/ • ACM SIGCHI:http://www.sigchi.org/ • Human Factors and Ergonomics Society: http://www.hfes.org/ • UX Watercooler:http://uxwatercooler.ning.com Slides available

19. About the presenters • Karen Bachmann, an independent consultant and partner with Seascape Consulting, Inc., designs usable user interfaces, bringing usability into the earliest stage of development to keep the project focused on the user. She also helps companies new to usability implement usability practices. Karen can be reached karen@seaconinc.com. • Lisa K. Harris is a designer, teacher, and consultant. As an adjunct Instructor at the Art Institute of Tampa, Lisa teaches students about user-centered design, marketing, and design. She guides clients in creating effective and satisfying products and in developing strategies to be “found” on the web. Lisa can be reached at lisakayharris@gmail.com.