Micro-usability Test Script

Micro-Usability Test Script

Preamble
Moderator Notes: Read the following to your participant. Feel free to edit it to make the language feel more
natural.You can even translate this entire script into a different language if that would make the most
sense for the participants you will be recruiting.

Thank you for participating in this brief usability test. The purpose of this test is to see how well
Doodle.com works for setting up meetings with multiple participants. I want to stress that I am
testing the site, not you or your abilities. If you have difficulty with any of the tasks I ask you to do
today, it will help me to find problems with the site that need to be improved. If at any time you
decide that you don’t want to participate in the test anymore, you are free to quit. Does this sound
OK?

I have prepared three tasks that I will ask you to try. They are based around an imaginary scenario
in which you have to schedule a meeting with three other people, including me. While you are
going through the tasks I want to ask you to do two things. 

First, I would like you to think aloud. This means that while you are interacting with the site, tell me
what’s on your mind. For example, What are you trying to do? What do you think the site is trying
to get you to do? Is there anything that is confusing? 

Second, when you think you have completed each task, let me know by saying “I’m done.”

While you are completing the tasks, I will mostly remain silent, other than perhaps asking questions
about what is going on in your mind if it’s not clear from what you’re saying. In general, I will try
not to offer any help or hints since those would not be available in a real-world setting where you
were trying to figure this site out on your own. Feel free to ask questions if they come to mind,
but don’t be surprised if I don’t answer them! 

Are you ready to start?

Task Instructions
Moderator Notes: Edit the tasks with the indicated information, remove the moderator notes, and then
print each task on a separate piece of paper.The tasks should only be revealed to the participant one at a
time. Printing them out is recommended, because there is a fair amount of information that they will need
to reference. 

Since the participant will need to have access to email during the test, it is recommended that you
have them use their own device (laptop, desktop computer, tablet, phone). If a mobile device is
used, do NOT use the Doodle app. We are only testing the website for simplicity and consistency.
Before running the test, make sure that YOU know how to complete these tasks. This way you will
be able to tell when your participant is making mistakes or pursuing an unexpected path.  To aid
with this, video walk throughs of each task are provided. 

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 Micro-usability Test Script
Task 1  
Task 1 Video Walk Through (https://youtu.be/j6yptU8oj38)
You are taking an online course and want to set up a study group meeting with some other
learners in the course at a local coffee shop. A friend recently told you that Doodle.com is a good
way to set up group meetings, saying “it’s much more efficient than sending a bunch of emails back
and forth.” Go to Doodle.com and use it to find a time that your study group can meet. Here are
some details that will be important when setting up the meeting:
• It should take place at a local cafe (Moderator Note: replace the underlined text
with particular place that your participant will know or indicate that this is up to
the participant to choose)
• The email addresses of the other participants are 
• amy@nowhere.com (Moderator note: bogus email
address at an inactive domain name, OK to use. Won’t
affect the test)
• victor@nowhere.com (Moderator note: bogus email
address at an inactive domain name, OK to use. Won’t
affect the test)
• Include the test moderator’s email address
(Moderator Note: replace the underlined text with an
email address that you can check during the test
session.You will need to access your email between
tasks 1 & 2).
• Include your own email address (Moderator Note: this
is asking the participant to use their own email--they
will also need to have access to their email).
• You would like the meeting to take place within the next week, but only on a
weekday (Monday-Friday)
• You would like the meeting to last one hour
• You would like the meeting to take place between 5pm and 8pm in the evening.
• If it is possible to do so on Doodle, allow participants to indicate whether a
particular time is good, bad, or acceptable but not preferred.

Moderator Note: If the participant was successful, you should have received an email to participate in the
poll. Fill it out to indicate that you are available on Tuesday evenings 5-8,Thursdays 7-8, and Mondays 6-7.
This will leave only one time available when you and the participant are both “free,” allowing you to more
easily tell if they are successful in Task 3.  

Moderator Participation Video Walk Through (https://youtu.be/drdQ-hqtfkc)

Task 2
Task 2 Video Walk Through (https://youtu.be/9pctLhFg4BE)
After the poll has been sent out, you should receive an email inviting you to participate in the poll.
Indicate that you are available ALL of the times, except
• Thursdays you are only available 5-6 (not 6-8)
• You would prefer not to meet on Tuesdays, but would be willing to do so if no other
times work for others

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 Micro-usability Test Script
Task 3
Task 3 Video Walk Through (https://youtu.be/v9f-3cFaSKo)
Assume a couple of days have passed and you want to see the results of your poll.View the results.
Based on the results, are there any times that will work for the meeting? Once you have your
answer, please tell me.

Debrief
Moderator Note: The debrief is your opportunity to learn more about any problems or reactions you
observed during the test. For example, if a participant seemed confused on a particular screen or at a
particular point, you could ask them to say more about what they were thinking. If they seemed surprised
at any point, you could ask them what they had expected to happen. If the participant did something in a
way you didn’t expect, or if they seem to have missed some information or options that would have helped
them, you can take this opportunity to direct their attention to what they missed and ask them about why
they took a different path.

If convenient, you can have the participant go back to particular pages or even re-do portions of
tasks to recreate the conditions you want to ask about. 
This “task review” portion of the debrief should take 5-10 minutes.
After the task review, you should ask some more high-level questions, for example:

• What is your overall impression of Doodle?

• Do you think that Doodle would be useful for you, personally? Why or why not?
• If no: who do you think it would be useful for? Why?
• What do you like best about Doodle?
• What do you think needs to be improved?

These questions can be edited to feel more natural, and other questions can be asked. The
question-asking portion of the debrief should take 5-10 minutes.
And finally, a few questions about the participant, to help interpret the results of the test.
• How often do you schedule meetings with other people?
• How do you usually go about scheduling such meetings?
• Have you ever used any sites or apps that you think are similar to Doodle? Which
ones, and how much experience have you had with them?
• How many hours per week would you estimate that you spend online?

Wrap-Up
Thank you very much for participating! 

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