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Caring out experiments to find out specific information about a design and/or product. Basis comes from experimental psychology. Uses statistical data methods
During usability testing, users work on specific tasks using the interface/product and evaluators use the results to evaluate and modify the interface/product.
Performance Measurement
Thinking-aloud Protocol Question-asking Protocol
Coaching Method
Co-discovery Learning
Teaching Method Retrospective Testing
Remote Testing
Performance Measurement
Applicable Stages:
Personnel
Performance Measurement
Performance Measurement
What is it? Used to collect quantitative data. Typically, you will be looking for benchmark data. Objectives MUST be quantifiable
75% of users shall be able to complete the basic task in less than 30 minutes.
Performance Measurement
How can I do it? Define the goals that you expect users to perform
Performance Measurement
The time users take to complete a specific task. The Ratio between successful interactions and errors. The time spent recovering from errors. The number of user errors. The number of commands or other features that were never used by the user. The number of system features the user can remember during a debriefing after the test. The proportion of users who say that they would prefer using the system over some specified competitor.
Performance Measurement
How can I do it? Get participants for the experiments Conduct very controlled experiments
Performance Measurement
Thinking-aloud Protocol
Applicable Stages:
Personnel
Thinking-aloud Protocol
Thinking-aloud Protocol
What is it? Technique where the participant is asked to vocalize his or her thoughts, feelings, and opinions while interacting with the product. .
Thinking-aloud Protocol
How can I do it? Select the participants, who will be involved? Select the tasks and design scenarios. Ask the participant to perform a task using the software.
Thinking-aloud Protocol
How can I do it? During the task, ask the user to vocalize
http://www.cs.umd.edu/~zzj/ThinkAlo.htm
Thinking-aloud Protocol
Can you walk & chew gum at the same time? Asking the participants to do too much.
Question-asking Protocol
Applicable Stages:
Personnel
Question-asking Protocol
Question-asking Protocol
What is it? Similar to Thinking-aloud protocol. Instead of participant saying what they are thinking, the evaluator prompts the participant with questions while using the system.
Question-asking Protocol
How can I do it? Select the participants, who will be involved? Select the tasks and design scenarios. Ask the participant to perform a task using the software.
Question-asking Protocol
How can I do it? During the task, ask the user to questions about the product
http://www.cs.umd.edu/~zzj/Question.htm
Question-asking Protocol
Can you walk, chew gum & talk at the same time? Asking the participants to do too much. Added pressure when the evaluator asks questions. Can be frustrating on novice users.
Coaching Method
Applicable Stages:
Personnel
Coaching Method
Coaching Method
What is it? A system expert sits with the participant and acts as a coach. Expert answers the participants questions. The evaluator observes their interaction.
Coaching Method
How can I do it? Select the participants, who will be involved? Select the tasks and design scenarios. Ask the participant to perform a task using the software in the presence of a coach/expert.
Coaching Method
How can I do it? During the task, the user will ask the expert questions about the product
http://www.cs.umd.edu/~zzj/Coaching.htm
Coaching Method
Problem With Coaching Method In reality, there will not be a coach present. This is good for creating a coaching system, but not for evaluating the interface.
Co-Discovery Learning
Applicable Stages:
Personnel
Co-Discovery Learning
Co-Discovery Learning
What is it?
Two test users attempt to perform tasks together while being observed. They are to help each other in the same manner as they would if they were working together to accomplish a common goal using the product.
They are encouraged to explain what they are thinking about while working on the tasks.
Co-Discovery Learning
How can I do it? Select the participants, who will be involved? Select the tasks and design scenarios. Ask the participants to perform a task using the software.
Co-Discovery Learning
How can I do it? During the task, the users will help each other and voice their thoughts by talking to each other.
http://www.cs.umd.edu/~zzj/Codiscov.htm
Co-Discovery Learning
Teaching Method
Applicable Stages:
Personnel
Teaching Method
Teaching Method
What is it? You have 1 participant use the system. Ask the participant to teach a new novice participant how to use the system.
Teaching Method
How can I do it? Select the participants, who will be involved? Select the tasks and design scenarios.
Ask the 1st participant to perform a task using the software. Ask the 1st participant to teach a new participant.
Teaching Method
http://www.cs.umd.edu/~zzj/Teaching.htm
Teaching Method
The blind leading the blind. Possible to discover some interesting things about the learn-ability of your interfaces.
Retrospective Testing
Applicable Stages:
Personnel
Retrospective Testing
Retrospective Testing
What is it? A videotape of the session is observed by the usability expert and the participants.
Retrospective Testing
Retrospective Testing
http://www.cs.umd.edu/~zzj/Retrospe.htm
Retrospective Testing
Remote Testing
Applicable Stages:
Personnel
Remote Testing
Remote Testing
What is it? The participants are separated from the evaluators. No formal observation. No usability lab.
Remote Testing
Remote Testing
Usability Logger
http://www.usabletools.com/
Journaled Sessions
http://www.cs.umd.edu/~zzj/Retrospe.htm
Remote Testing
the method that fits your implementation. thorough during your experiments. more data, the better.
Be
The
Effect
tendency for people to improve their performance after any change when they know their performance is being studied.