Surviving the Train WreckAdvice for the worst user testing can throw at youAndrew Hackman

But everything can go wrong

Disasters

1. Taking the Scenic Route – Incorrect knowledge or assumptions

1) Taking the Scenic Route

/ˈtiːvoʊ/ tee-voh

/tɪˈvoʊ/ tai-voh

Enjoy the scenic route

DO NOT CORRECT YOUR USERS Don’t do it Stop it Unless the user being wrong is preventing you from

continuing, let it slide Learn from your users, don’t teach them

Disasters

1. Taking the Scenic Route – Incorrect knowledge or assumptions2. Opening a cabin door at the wrong time – Users feel uncomfortable

and stop participating

2) Opening the Cabin DoorStory Time Screenshot Goes Here

Knock loudly, lie strategically

Keep your users comfortable Respect the small, unexpected things that can make

them uncomfortable If you have to enter their personal space, knock

loudly Be willing to bend over backwards to accommodate If all else fails, pretend nothing happened

Disasters

1. Taking the Scenic Route – Incorrect knowledge or assumptions2. Opening a cabin door at the wrong time – Users feel uncomfortable and

stop participating3. Running out of soda – A logistical oversight or mistake

Running out of Soda

3) Running Out of Soda

Make a checklist Do a dress rehearsal Be unnecessarily over prepared Be flexible and creative

But you can survive it

Taking the Scenic Route – As long as you going to the right place, don’t tell the user they are going the wrong way

Opening a cabin door at the wrong time – Strategically lie to avoid letting the user’s know what happened; Knock loudly to avoid incident in the first place

Running out of soda – Make a checklist of what you need; run through test at least once with an ‘outsider’

Missed your stop - Plan the highest priority, simplest questions ahead of time to ask if time has to be cut

Shouting at the conductor – Give user a non-destructive way to output opinion and feel listened to

The train is a boat– Adapt your plan to fit what users are actually doing with your stimuli; perform a test-test ahead of time to double check veracity

Train is on fire –Know when continuing is not providing any more information and gracefully end it