1. USABILITY TESTING UXPA DC UX 101 Intensive Workshop May 1,
2015 Stephanie M. Pratt, UXPA DC Secretary @stephaniempratt @uxpadc
#usability #dcux @stephaniempratt @uxpadc #usability #uxdc
2. Who is Stephanie? @stephaniempratt @uxpadc #usability
#uxdc
3. WHAT IS USABILITY? @stephaniempratt @uxpadc #usability
#uxdc
4. What is usability? Usability is how easy a product, website,
object, etc. is to use. 5 Es of Usability: Effective Efficient
Engaging Error Tolerant Easy to Learn (Whitney Quesenbery [2004]
Balancing the 5Es: Usability) @stephaniempratt @uxpadc #usability
#uxdc
5. WHY IS USABILITY IMPORTANT? @stephaniempratt @uxpadc
#usability #uxdc
6. Why is usability important? If your website/product/item is
not usable, your users/audience wont be able to complete their
tasks. Your users/audience will then be searching for ways to get
help or searching for alternative product/resource that is more
usable @stephaniempratt @uxpadc #usability #uxdc
7. What is usability testing? A research method to evaluate how
usable a product, object, website, etc. is. @stephaniempratt
@uxpadc #usability #uxdc
8. Whats involved? Your participant perform meaningful tasks to
reach a goal Participants are ideally your target users Moderator
(you or other team member) Observers (you, design team,
stakeholders, clients) Recording data for analysis Minimum
recording screen / audio Quantitative clicks, error rate, task
success rate, etc. @stephaniempratt @uxpadc #usability #uxdc
9. What can I test? @stephaniempratt @uxpadc #usability
#uxdc
10. When should I test? As early as possible Even with sketches
or physical prototypes As often as possible Return on Investment of
Usability Testing: Save on development time Less time to train new
users Less support calls / emails More people complete their
intended tasks @stephaniempratt @uxpadc #usability #uxdc
11. How do I Setup a Usability Test? Identify key tasks that
you are most interested in learning about for that task What makes
a good task? @stephaniempratt @uxpadc #usability #uxdc
12. Example Tasks Purchase/order a product Shop for auto
insurance Book an appointment @stephaniempratt @uxpadc #usability
#uxdc
13. Exercise: Develop Tasks (5-10 min) Imagine you want to test
the usability of your smartphone. Breakup into teams of two and
come up with 2-3 tasks you would want to test on your smartphone(s)
Write them down to use as part of a test script @stephaniempratt
@uxpadc #usability #uxdc
14. Whats next? We need to develop the test script with those
tasks. @stephaniempratt @uxpadc #usability #uxdc
15. Whats in a test script? An introduction, to explain what is
going to happen to the participant/tester Explain that they are not
being tested and cant make any mistakes Initial questions to
understand their experience with web or product E.g., How many
hours a week do you use the internet for work and personal use?
E.g., What is your favorite website? E.g., How often do you do
[something related to product] @stephaniempratt @uxpadc #usability
#uxdc
16. Whats in a test script? Explain think aloud protocol to the
participant Have the participant/tester think out loud as they go
through the tasks Cue yourself to record the computer screen or
session Tasks You may potentially need to give a scenario to put
the tester in the mindset of completing the tasks. Follow up
questions E.g., Single Ease Question (for each task) 1-7 scale
E.g., Confidence of completing task(s), 1-7 scale E.g., Open ended
(balanced) questions Thanking participant/tester @stephaniempratt
@uxpadc #usability #uxdc
17. Exercise: Develop Short Test Script (5-10 min) Take your
tasks and create a short test script Add an introduction & a
couple intro questions We will be using your test script to run a
quick test. @stephaniempratt @uxpadc #usability #uxdc
18. OK, I have a test script. What now? We need to recruit
participants @stephaniempratt @uxpadc #usability #uxdc
19. How do I get participants? Fast Recruitment Use Colleagues
Coffee Shops (offer to buy a coffee for a short test) Co-testing
Meetups Metro stations, Bus stops Longer more specialized
recruitment Customers / Users recruit through email/web
Craigslist/flyers/newspaper ads for representative users Hire
recruiters to help you get representative users Recruit
representative users from your network @stephaniempratt @uxpadc
#usability #uxdc
20. How many participants do I need? @stephaniempratt @uxpadc
#usability #uxdc Nielsen Norman Group
21. How do I compensate participants? Swag T-shirts, reusable
bags, pens, etc. Cash Gift Cards Promotions (discounts) Sometimes,
if helping to improve the product is enough for the tester, you
dont need to give anything @stephaniempratt @uxpadc #usability
#uxdc
22. Scheduled the Participants. What now? Prepare to run the
test Practice moderation skills @stephaniempratt @uxpadc #usability
#uxdc
23. How to moderate The tester/participant does the majority of
the talking Think therapist / guide Keep a poker face Dont let them
know if they are right or wrong Keep all questions unbiased Think
40 Year Old Virgin Respond to a question with a question Typical
questions: What are you thinking? Was that what you expected or not
what you expected? @stephaniempratt @uxpadc #usability #uxdc
24. How to moderate If they Say.. Are not talking What are you
thinking? Ask you a question (e.g., Is that what I should do here?)
Rephrase the question (e.g., What do you think you should do?) Get
a task right or wrong Thank you, that is very helpful Thanks for
the feedback Mess up Remember, you cant make any mistakes Youre
doing a great job Are unsure if they have completed a task and ask
you. Is this what you would do if you were doing X at home?
Criticize the design Thanks for the feedback @stephaniempratt
@uxpadc #usability #uxdc
25. Exercise: Run a Quick Usability Test Find another team and
run a quick usability test on your phone with other folks in the
room Follow your test script & have them complete 1 of your
tasks Switch so everyone is a participant or moderator at least
once. @stephaniempratt @uxpadc #usability #uxdc