USABILITY 1 - INTRODUCTION

Group Project

Don’t make me think

Steve Krug (2006)

Visual cues.

Use conventions

Clearly defined page areas.

What is clickable?

Keep the noise down!

They’re usually trying to find something.

Give them signs

Breadcrumbs and Tabs

Navigation Test

What site is it?What page am I on?What are the major sections?

Where am I?

Why bother?

Why bother?

Good systems need testing.

Why bother?

Some testing is better than no testing

Why bother?

Early is better than late

Why bother?

Any users better than no users

Why bother?

Right and wrong don’t matter – informed decisions do.

Why bother?

Testing is iterative

Why bother?

Audience reaction matters

How many test subjects?

1. One test 8 users: usually finds worst problems. Often not far into the system.

2. Two tests 3 users:Test 1: Often finds less problems than in

scenario 1.Test 2: problems from test 1 sort, they now

can find new problems.

How many test subjects

As many as possible + as many test as possible

Structure: Introduction

Who are they? Who are you? Why are we doing this?

Make it clear that you want their thoughts.

You want them to think out loud. There are no mistakes.

If they are unsure they can ask you? You don’t need to be THE EXPERT.

Structure: The set-up

Explain what is going to happen. Explain what the equipment if for. Explain that what they are doing is

helping the developers. Try and get some background

information – to judge their experience.

Be a Good Listener not an expert.

Structure: Tasking

You have minimized the browser now maximise it.

Ask them to look at the system. Ask them where would they click?

Remind they to think out loud so you know what they are thinking what do they notice.

What do they think of certain things. What do they think the site is about?

Structure

Get them to look at the page again, what didn’t they notice before.

Structure

Politely keep them on track

Structure

Review the results straight after. Review them and decide which ones

need fixing. Figure out how to fix them

Typical problems

Users unclear of concept. Words looked for aren’t there. Too much going on

Triage

If easy and quick fix, that doesn’t break anything else – fix it!

Sometimes resit the impulse to add. Don’t add new features without a lot

of thought. Go for big, cheap wins after each

round of testing.

Don’t throw the baby out with the bathwater, Minor changes can have major

impact – in both directions. Don’t panic

Don’t scrap a whole project because of criticism without careful consideration.

Tools

Screen capture software

Video…just taking notes

Exercise

In groups 2-3 each take one of the following role: Person testing the site Oberserver/Observers

Tester Role

Just follow what the observer asks and feedback what the problems are.

Observer(s) Role

Settle the tester down. Get THEIR views on the system and

the faults they find. Find as many ways as possible to get

information from them about the site’s usability.

References

Krug S (2006) Don’t Make Me Think Berkley: New Rider