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Usability Testing – Part II

This article provides practical advice for conducting usability testing, including gathering background information, signing agreements, interpreting results, organizing data, and prioritizing and solving usability problems.

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Usability Testing – Part II

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  1. Usability Testing – Part II Teppo Räisänen http://www.oamk.fi/~teraisan/ Teppo.raisanen@oamk.fi

  2. Practical Advice • When a test person arrives, a written query of his/her background information is often useful • It is not uncommon, that because of misunderstandings the test person does not belong to targeted user group

  3. Practical Advice • Often also written agreements are signed • NDA • Agreement of participation • Agreement about recording (video/audio) the test session

  4. Interpretation of the Results • Vast amounts of information are collected during testing • For this information to be useful, it must be correctly transformed and interpreted • Just gathering technical data (response times etc.) is usually not enough

  5. Interpretation of the Results • Often the most critical findings are reported before in-depth analysis • Product development cycles have become increasingly faster • The results of quick analysis can be used for important corrections and updates

  6. Interpretation of the Results • The test data should be organized in an uniform way • E.g. handwritten comments and audio tapes are transformed into digital formats • Numerical data is collected and processed • Backup copies are made

  7. Interpretation of the Results • Several statistical methods are used for intepretation • In case of usability problems it should be investigated if • just an individual test person had a spesific problem • problem is common to a spesific sector of target group • problem is common to all users

  8. Interpretation of the Results • After an usability problem has been recognized the origin of the problem should be tracked • After origin has been tracked a solution to the problem is suggested • Problems are usually prioritized • Not all problems in all cases can be solved within resources available

  9. Usability Lab • Facilities that are needed vary a lot according to the case • Just simple room might be enough • Basic equipment consists of • computer system for testing • video camcorder • video monitor • (backup equipment)

  10. Usability Lab • Often two rooms divided by a see-through mirror are used • The test person is not able to see to the observers’ room • In many cases more than one camrecorder are used • Information shown on computer screen is usually not taped but saved internally

  11. Usability Lab • If two rooms are used, the rooms are often soundproof • Test person’s voice is transmitted to the control room via speaker system • Instead of see-through mirror, the visual information about test session can be displayed using control room’s monitors

  12. Usability Lab • A good lab should be easily modified according to the needs • Often some amount of staging is used to make test sessions more realistic • Background audio tapes • Lights • Anything within the limits of imagination

  13. Field Tests • Modern usability research stresses the importance of use context • Therefore usability testing should also take place within actual use context • Lab conditions are often quite different from real world of target users • It has even been predicted, that traditional lab tests will become extinct

  14. Field Tests • A cost-effective way is to use customer’s facilities for field testing • Some modern mobile test labs use advanced methods for recording user’s actions • pulse measurement • eye movement tracking

  15. Automatic Collecting of Log Data • In case of software products it is usually quite easy to implement a tool for collecting log data during tests • Actions will be recorded automatically • Analyzing the data still requires human resources • Google Analytics

  16. Automatic Collecting of Log Data • Many kinds of sources can be recorded • Data about the performance of the system • Response times • Network usage • User’s actions, e.g. choices of commands in spesific situations • Use of menu commands/kb shortcuts

  17. Example: Subjective Enjoyability • Enjoyability is one aspect of usability • Opinions about product’s enjoyability are often quite individualistic • Enjoyability can be investigated using interviews after test sessions • Test person can for example be asked to fill a questionnaire

  18. Example: Subjective Enjoyability

  19. Example: Subjective Enjoyability • Results of questionnaires can be statistically analyzed • E.g. simple average values • In many cases test persons have preconceptionsabout products and brands • Therefore it can be useful to commit anonymous testing

  20. Anonymous Testing • Test person is not told the company behind the product • It is important not to give even a hint • Often outside consultants are used

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