Usability Testing: Gaining people’s insight

DX Toronto Workshop 2014

Adie   Linn   Dale   Nick  

Topics • What is user experience? • What is usability? • Why is usability important? • How do we evaluate usability? • Things to keep in mind • The workshop

User Experience (UX)

User experience is how useful and usable a product, system or service is and how people feel about it.

What is usability?

•  Learnability •  Efficiency •  Memorability •  Recoverability •  Satisfaction

Nielsen Norman Group

Why is usability important

People will leave… …If it’s difficult …If they get lost …If they find it hard to read

How do we evaluate Usability?

• Recruit some representative users

• Ask users to perform tasks • Observe users successes and

failures

Types of Usability Testing

• Low fidelity • Formal • Remote • Intercept • Accessibility

Accessibility vs Usability

• An accessible website will benefit all users

• Websites aren’t usable until they’re accessible

• Usability implies accessibility, not always in reverse

Accessibility Testing vs Usability Testing

• Methodology is the same • Recruiting is more specific • Tech set up is often very

personal to the user

Overview • Recruiting • Preparing • Logistics (what and where) • Facilitating • Capturing • Analyzing • Reporting

Be sure to…

• Test users individually • Run several small tests • User testing is NOT

a focus group

Remember to… • Recruit correctly • Think about privacy • Incentive • Thank you!

Devices & Recording • Mobile • Desktop • Paper prototype • Smart watch

Time for some drama!

The Tip Sheet • Create research objectives • Identify recruitment specs • Write recruitment screener • Test plan and script

Running a Usability Test Usability Tests help you to validate your design decisions with real users. They are a key ingredient to creating a successful experience.

Technology should work for people.

Tips & things to considerremember not to lead the participant - open-ended questions work best.

Prepare Test Plan

Usability Matters info@usabilitymatters.com

1

Identify recruitment specs

2 Logistics

Recruit participants

Test plan run through

3 Execute Test

Facilitate usability sessions

Observe and record results

Invite stakeholders to observe

Analyze Results

Review transcripts & analyst notes

Synthesize data - identify themes

4

The workshop!

Usability Test Roles • Facilitator • Note taker • Analyst • Participant

Workshop Steps 1)  Define research objectives 2)  Define the tasks 3) Create the test script 4) Conduct the usability test 5) Analysis and report 6) Discuss findings and

recommendations

About objectives • The client • Define research objectives • Examples

Step 1: Define 3 research objectives: “What do we want to learn about this site and how participants are using it?”

Example: “How easily can the participant locate the search field in its current position?”

About tasks • Based on objectives • Specific • Examples

Step 2: Define 3 Tasks: “What are the primary tasks our users will do on this site?”

Example: “Using the site, show me how you would find upcoming events on August 14, 2014.”

About the script • Intro • Tasks • Wrap up

Step 3: Create the script: Based on the tasks, create the test script that the facilitator will read from during the test

Example: “Using the device, show me how you would search for an event.”

Facilitating • Observation not conversation • Don’t stay completely silent • Don’t give away the answer • Think aloud protocol

Probing Techniques • Echo • Boomerang • Columbo

Capturing • Recordings – screen, room • Notes/transcripts • Type of material needed –

Quotes? Video clips?

Step 4: Conduct the test: The facilitator will read the script and walk the participant through the each task

Example: “Using the device, show me how you would search for an event.”

Analysis • Carefully review data • Qualitative data • Recommendations

Reporting • Detailed report • Direct implementation • Video reel

Step 5: Analysis and Report: The group will discuss findings and how to present.

Example: During our usability test we discovered this and this. Here is our recommendation *think back to the various reporting methods*

Thank you!