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Maximizing Usability Testing for Document Success

Learn why and how to conduct usability testing for documents, ensuring customer satisfaction, reducing support, and enhancing product success. Explore testing phases, tasks, language considerations, test plans, and gathering equipment for effective testing.

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Maximizing Usability Testing for Document Success

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  1. Usability Testing Making Sure Documents Work

  2. Why Test? Expense of documentation Reasons for documentation Customer Satisfaction Reduced Support Why Not Test? Limited time Documentation & Product near completion simultaneously Limited access to users Testing Realities Solution: Do the best you have with what you’ve got!

  3. Test Plan: Decide When • Design Phase • Test checks appropriateness of contents & structure • Results are predictive • Draft Phase • Test checks effectiveness • Results are remedial • Release Phase • Test checks effectiveness & locates problems • Results are evaluative/revisionary

  4. Task-Based Testing High Chance of Failure Complex Unique Abstract/Technical High Cost of Failure Support Damage Performance Language Testing Terms or Tone Novices Language Gaps Conceptual Info Understandabilty Design Testing Locating & accessing information Read & Locate Test Plan: Decide What & How

  5. Test Plan: Create Test • Design specific scenarios to match test objectives • Perform one or more tasks • Answer one or more conceptual questions • Locate one or more sections

  6. Test Plan: Set Objectives • Time-related • How long does it take • Accuracy-related • How many errors (perform) • How many “reads” required (understand) • How many “tries” required (find) Objectives are not mutually exclusive

  7. Testers Self Other writers Designers At least 2 is best Evaluators (Testees) Actual Users (ideal) Experience Level Subject Matter Know. Similar Users Explain uses Provide scenarios “Random” Users Explain roles Explain uses Provide scenarios Test Plan: Decide Who

  8. Test Plan: Decide Where • “Artificial” Environment • Can be either simple or elaborate • Provides high degree of control • Allows for better equipment • Costs more • Actual Environment – Field Tests • Provides “real life” picture • Subject to interruptions

  9. Evaluator survey Key characteristics Permission General instructions Testers Evaluators Schedule Lab procedures Field tests: equipment Pilot tests Overviews Test forms Scenarios for each task Documentation being tested Results forms Charts/Tables + Comments Exit Surveys Test Plan: Prepare Forms

  10. Test Plan: Gather Equipment • Tape Recorder • Notebooks/Forms & Pens • Camera • Timer/stopwatch • Required test materials (e.g. computer & software)

  11. Test Plan: Record Information • Testers’ observations • Include everything during test • Filter later during interpretation phase • Evaluators’ “talk aloud” • Timing data

  12. Test Plan: Interpret and Apply Results • Review observations, tapes, and timing information • Filter out “biases” or other variables • Make appropriate changes to the documentation

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