Preparing and Running User Experiments

1. Preparing and Running User Experiments By Mei Li, Pearl Ho, and Deepika Gandhi

2. How to Prepare and Run Usability Testing • How to gather participants and prepare a proposal. --Mei • Preparing the environment, test materials, and test team. --Pearl • How to measure usability and deal with participants. --Deepika

3. Preparing for your User Requirements Activity Introduction We cover everything that happens or that you should be aware of prior to collect your data.

4. Preparing for your User Requirements Activity • Creating a proposal • Deciding the duration and timing of your session • Recruiting participants • Tracking participants • Creating a protocol • Piloting your activity

5. Creating a proposal • A usability activity proposal is a road map for the activity you are about to undertake. • Why create a proposal? • Surprises • Assumptions • Misconceptions Tip: Multiple activities, separate proposals

6. History Objectives, measures, scope of the study Method User profile Recruitment Incentives Responsibilities Proposed schedule Creating a proposal

7. Creating a proposal Recruitment E.g. John Smith from Product team will recruit total 30 participants by an advertisement on the web and a recruitment agency.

8. Creating a proposal Incentives E.g. Participants will receive $75 in AMEX gift checks for the participation.

9. Creating a proposal Incentives E.g. Participants will receive $75,000 in AMEX gift checks for the participation.

10. Creating a proposal Responsibilities • Who is responsible for what task? • Key word – Specific The product team is responsible for recruiting participants. John Brown from the product team is responsible for recruiting participants.

11. Creating a proposal Proposed Schedule • Indicate time for each deliverable • Key word – Specific • People often underestimate the amount of time it takes to prepare for an activity. Tip: Request deliverables a week before we absolutely need them. Then, if deliverables are late (which they often are), it's OK.

12. Creating a proposal Getting Commitment • Email the proposal? • Issues: stakeholders will criticize: • Skills/knowledge/objectivity of the person who conducted the activity – Be a member of the team and earn their respect • Participants in the activity • Tasks/activity conducted – Getting everyone sign off on the proposal

13. Creating a proposal Organize a meeting: • Objective of the activity • Data which will be collected • User profile • Responsibility • Schedule Signed

14. Preparing for your User Requirements Activity • Creating a proposal • Deciding the duration and timing of your session • Recruiting participants • Tracking participants • Creating a protocol • Piloting your activity

15. Deciding the duration and timing of your session Group Session • 5-7pm or 6-8pm best • With some food, perfect • Break the session into small chunks if possible

16. Preparing for your User Requirements Activity • Creating a proposal • Deciding the duration and timing of your session • Recruiting participants • Tracking participants • Creating a protocol • Piloting your activity

17. Recruiting participants • Participants number • Participant incentives • Developing a recruiting screener • Creating a recruitment advertisement • Recruitment methods • Preventing no-shows • Recruiting international participants Recruit special populations

18. Recruiting participants Participants number • Facts to be concerned • Availability • Representative • Method – Convenience sampling • Use the available sample of the population, instead of representatives from the population at large. • e.g. Research done by college professors often uses college students for participants. • Tip – Identify participants types

19. Where should you go to Find Participants

20. Recruiting participants Participant incentives • Mode • Cash, normally not. Store? • One of your product for free • Gift certificate (an electronics store, movie pass) • Gift checks • Charitable donations in the participant's name (for highly paid individuals CEOs) • Amount • Make the incentive large enough to thank people for their time and expertise, but nothing more. • Pay everyone in the same session the same amount in case of amount changing.

21. Recruiting participants Developing a recruiting screener • Via phone, don't email • Work with the product team, instill team-work sense. • Keep it short • Use test questions, you want honest participants • Collect demographic information, once decide a candidate • Eliminate competitors • Provide important details • Time, date, location, compensation, rules, signature • Prepare a response for people who do not match the profile

22. Recruiting participants Creating a recruitment advertisement • Provide some details about your study • Include date, time, location of the study • Indicate key characteristics, not all • Don't stress the incentive • State how they should respond • e.g. generic email address • Be aware of types of bias

23. Recruiting participants Recruitment Methods • Advertise on community bulletin board sites • Create an in-house database • Use a recruiting agency • Make use of customer contacts

24. Recruiting participants Preventing no-shows • A 10% "no show " rate is common • Provide contact information • Remind • Over-recruit

25. Recruiting participants Confirm the Appointment: • Thanks for agreeing to participate • The date and time you expect them to be there • Where to come, including a map and directions • How long to expect to be with you • The purpose of the test • Reminders about the video cameras • Incentive • A person's name and a phone number to call if they have questions or need to reschedule

27. Recruiting participants Recruiting International Participants • Agency • Cultural and behavioral taboos books • Translator • Punctuality • Holiday concern

28. Recruiting participants Recruiting Special Populations • Children, elderly, disabilities • Transportation • Escorts • Facilities

29. Recruiting participants Recruitment Methods • Advertise on community bulletin board sites • Create an in-house database • Use a recruiting agency • Make use of customer contacts

30. Preparing for your User Requirements Activity • Creating a proposal • Deciding the duration and timing of your session • Recruiting participants • Tracking participants • Creating a protocol • Piloting your activity

31. Tracking Participants • Tax implications • Avoid professional participant • Create a watch list • Tax • Dishonesty • Poor attendance • No show-up

32. Creating a Protocol • All procedures and their order • Act as a checklist for all of the session steps

33. Piloting your Activity • Check audio-visual equipment working • Clarity of instructions and questions • Find bug or glitches • Attendee • Experienced • Product team member

34. Preparing the environment, test materials, and test team. --Pearl Ho