Usability Testing Essentials

ForewordAcknowledgmentsAbout the authorImage credits and permissionsIntroduction: Getting started guide Usability is invisible U R usability How to use this book Special features you can use or skip A few words about words But wait, there’s more on the companion website1 Establishing the essentials Focus on the user, not the product Start with some essential definitions Defining usability Defining usability testing Know when to conduct small studies Know how to conduct small studies Define the user profile Create task-based scenarios Use a think-aloud process Make changes and test again Know when to conduct large studies Think of usability testing as hill climbing2 Testing here, there, everywhere Testing in a lab offers some benefits The bare essentials for testing in a lab Other equipment that’s nice to have Specialized equipment you might need in certain situations Formal labs can cost a lot, or not Informal labs can be set up anywhere at very little cost Field testing gets you into the world of your users Advantages of field testing Disadvantages of field testing Remote testing extends your reach to your users Moderated remote testing is synchronous Unmoderated remote testing is asynchronous New methods push the envelope on remote testing Choosing the right method is a balancing act3 Big U and little u usability Introducing big U and little u usability Using a user-centered design process Opening your toolkit and seeing what’s there Analysis tools Development tools Post-release tools Choosing heuristic evaluation from the toolkit Conducting a heuristic evaluation Conducting a formal evaluation Conducting an expert review Conducting an informal evaluation Comparing the results from heuristic evaluation and usability testing Putting both methods together: The 1–2 punch Cost-justifying usability Case Study: Heuristic evaluation of Holiday Inn China website4 Understanding users and their goals People are goal-oriented When people use the web, they bring their experience and expectations People expect web objects to be in specific places People don’t want to read — they want to act Make a good first impression — you might not get a second chance Generational differences matter when it comes to the web Personas help you get to know your users Personas are based on real information about real users Personas are a creative activity, but don’t get carried away Personas should be a manageable number Personas need to be visible Scenarios tell the story of your users’ goals Start by knowing the difference between a task and a goal Tell stories about your personas in a compelling way5 Planning for usability testing Scheduling the planning meeting Establish test goals Determine how to test the product Agree on user subgroups Determine participant incentive Draft the screener for recruiting participants Create scenarios based on tasks that match test goals Determine quantitative and qualitative feedback methods Set dates for testing and deliverables Writing the test plan Writing an informal test plan Writing a formal test plan Case Study: Test plan for Holiday Inn China website usability study6 Preparing for usability testing Recruiting participants How to do the recruiting yourself How to recruit through an agency How to plan for no-shows Assigning team roles and responsibilities Developing team checklists Writing the moderator’s script Preparing or using other forms Preparing a video consent form Preparing a special consent form for testing with minors Using a non-disclosure agreement Preparing an observer form Creating questionnaires Creating a pre-test questionnaire Creating post-task questionnaires Creating a post-test questionnaire Using standard post-test questionnaires Using the SUS Using the CSUQ Creating or using qualitative feedback methods Using product reaction cards Ending with an interview Testing the test Conducting the walkthrough Conducting the pilot Case Study: Sample test materials for Holiday Inn China website usability study7 Conducting a usability test Setting up for testing Meeting, greeting, briefing Meeting and greeting the participant Conducting the pre-test briefing Preparing the participant to think out loud Being an effective and unbiased moderator Monitor your body language Balance your praise Ask “good” questions Know how and when to intervene Administer post-test feedback mechanisms Managing variations on the theme of testing Testing with two or more participants Testing with two or more moderators Testing remotely with a moderator Providing help or customer support during testing Logging observations Handling observers and visitors Observers with you and the participant Visitors in the executive viewing room Remote observers Working solo Case Study: Session log from Holiday Inn China website usability study8 Analyzing the findings What did we see? Gather input from everyone Collect the top fi ndings and surprises Choose your organizational method What does it mean? Determining who should do the analysis Collating the findings Presenting quantitative data Working with statistics Analyzing questionnaires Using qualitative feedback from the think-aloud process Collating responses from the product reaction cards What should we do about it? Triangulating the data from findings Characterizing fi ndings by scope and severity Making recommendations Case Study: Findings analysis from Holiday Inn China website usability study9 Reporting the findings Following Aristotle’s advice Preparing the message for the medium Writing an informal memo report Writing a formal report Preparing the parts of a formal report Writing the executive summary Organizing the rest of the report to match your audience needs Presenting the findings Using tables to summarize the findings Illustrating the findings Ordering the findings Presenting post-task and post-test results Presenting survey responses Presenting SUS results Presenting qualitative responses Making recommendations Presenting an oral report Plan your presentation Prepare video clips Practice, practice, practice Deliver your presentation Know how and when to ask for questions Advocating for more UCD Case Study: Report of Holiday Inn China website usability study10 International usability testing Learning about your international users Some international users are here Other international users are “there” Understanding cultural differences Books to learn more Articles to learn more Applying the work of Hall and Hofstede to understand international users Hall’s concept of high-context and low-context cultures Hofstede’s concept of five cultural dimensions Planning for international testing Where to test How to test Structuring the test protocol Localizing the scenarios Localizing the questionnaires Scheduling single sessions or co-discovery sessions Choosing think-aloud or retrospective recall Selecting the moderator Anticipating other aspects of international testing What if the participant arrives with someone else? Should more time be set aside for meeting and greeting? Should breaks be longer between sessions? Can you interpret nonverbal communication cues? Case Study: Analysis of the UPS Costa Rican websiteReferencesIndex