Slide text: Facilitating a Usability Test Christine M. Perfetti UX Ideas www.perfettimedia.com Topics we'll cover Test set-up 3 roles of the test facilitator Steps for running a usability test Tips and tricks for facilitating a usability test Test set-up: lab Test set-up: conference room 3 roles of a test facilitator Flight Attendant Responsible for safety and comfort of participants Sportscaster Responsible for "play by play" during the session Scientist Responsible for test planning and reporting Source: Carolyn Snyder's "Paper Prototyping" Steps for running a test Pre-test briefing with observers Greeting user Interview user Distribute paperwork Conduct the test Q&A with user at end of session Review list of observations with observers Pre-test briefing with observers One of the commonly missed steps in a usability test Prevents any surprises at the end of the session Sets the ground rules for observers Gives observers an opportunity to understand the scenarios and tasks Provides an overview of user's background Greet the user The facilitator's role is to put the user at ease Introduce user to observers Answer any questions before starting the tasks What to say We're evaluating the product, not you You're helping the design team learn what's not working You can take a break or stop at any time during the session Problems are not you're fault Think aloud as you go through the tasks Pre-test interview Ask about: Relevant background information Domain or tool knowledge Experience with the product Distribute paperwork Informed consent Pre-test questionnaires, if necessary Complete tasks and scenarios Give users scenarios and tasks Tasks should focus on business and user goals Can be written instructions or read aloud by facilitator Check for user understanding Observe users' behavior when interacting with the product Maximizing data gathered Observe user's behavior and listen to responses Respond to silence or unclear vocalizations Summarize actions Ask user to clarify, when necessary Important questions Common questions Can you say more about that? What did you expect here? What are you thinking? What does this mean to you? What do you do next? When users are struggling Balance the need to gather information and comfort the user Move from general questions to more specific questions Provide encouragement Getting more specific What do you see here? What do you think you might do next? Do you see anything at the top of the screen that may help you? What do you think that link does? What about the link right here? Provide encouragement Answer users questions Ask how the session is going for the user Assess whether user needs a break Be aware of how the user is feeling throughout the session General Q&A How'd that go? How realistic were the tasks? What are two things you liked about the product? What are two things that can be improved with the product? Debrief observers Involve observers as much as possible Create a rolling list of observations on a whiteboard At the end of each session, discuss the observations Discuss next steps Thank you! Sign up for Perfetti Media's newsletter at www.perfettimedia.com to get notified about the latest presentations Thank you to Chicken Wing Software for providing the infrastructure for UX Ideas: www.chickenwingsw.com
Video length: 16:55
