User Testing - Additional Info

Well, its my birthday today! so not much work is happening today!



what i can say though, is that i have decided on the location for performing the usability test. taking into account the fact i needed a quiet, relaxed enviroment for the users to perform the test, ive decided to the room i stay in as the test location.

Some details on the work area and technical specifications:

Large, well lit room
large computer desk with adjustable office seat
enough room for a camcorder and/or dictaphone, as well as the moderator without being too cramped.

Technical Specifications -
1x 19" TFT Monitor
1x Logitech Wireless Keyboard & Mouse
1x Windows XP computer.

i usually use my computer in a dual screen setup, with both the 19" monitor and my 28" tv as primary and secondary monitors, but for the purposes of the test i will remove the television to create a simple, standardised computer layout.

Thanks To The Volunteers!

i would just like to say a quick thanks to the people who have agreed to be volunteers for my usablity testing session! hope to get all the testing done within the next month or so!

Yesterdays Lesson Notes

Not much to add today, just some additional key notes learned in lesson today:

Testing People - Things To Consider

When put in a test enviroment, users will feel under pressure to perform, especially as they know they are being measured.

Users will make errors

It is key to make sure users feel as comfortable as possible

Make it clear it is the system were "measuring" not them ( subjects, Participants, Test user)

All test particupants are anonymous. their information will not be revealed to other parties, and only information relevant to the test will be recorded.

Participants must know that if they so wish, they are free to leave the test at any time.

Try to keep any direct observation of the users to a minimum to reduce their stress.

Ensure you answer all their questions before you start

Use the first test as a simple way of letting them get to grip with the system.

Offering some form of light snacks and refreshment can go ways towards keeping participants happy and comfortable

Make sure all components of the test are ready before you start (Screen Recording device, computer, recording devices, relevant handouts)

Keep distractions to a minimum. Make sure all mobile phones are off, and a sign is put on the door to reduce the chance of any interruptions.

Usability Test - Requirements

Suitable, comfortable, quiet work enviroment

Computer with internet access and screen capture software

Video Recorder/ Audio Recorder

Refreshments

Handouts:
Questionnaire
Moderators Script
Task Problem Sheet
Consent Form
Background Questionnaire

Notes From Class - Thursdays Lesson

Heres a quick scan in of some of the work we have been doing in class.
A lot of our work based on the work of Jacob Nielsen, one of the worlds foremost Usability Testing gurus. The frameworks that he has established have defined the way that a lot of usabilty testing is run.



This first scan looks at the ethical considerations undertaken during Usability Engineering. in short, it looks at what you need to consider before, during, and after the test in order to keep your test participants calm and focused, in order to generate useable data from the test situation.


This second scan looks at the '10 Heuristics of Usablity Testing' which basically states key principles that you need to consider when designing any form of user interface.

Test Participant Questions.

After running through what each of the websites possible users would be after from the Exeter University website, i have produced a shortlist of the potential tasks we would want to ask of our test participants:

1 Task focused towards finding information related to Entrance Requirements

1 Task focused on finding information about the local Student Life

1 Task based around finding the annual Course Fees for studying at Exeter University

1 Task based around finding what is the avalible Accommodation on offer at the University

1 Final more complex task based around finding if it is possible to join the Uni Rugby Team

For the benefit of us running the User Testing sessions, and the participants themselves, the tasks we have set should not take any longer than 5 minutes to complete individually, and the overall time to complete all tasks should run no longer than 25 mins.

User Testing - Developing User Testing Taskt

With the website and assignment set, we now need to come up with the tasks that we want our users to achieve.

Its important that the tasks we ask our users to do are realistic when taking into account the websites task. in order to do this, we need to be looking at the Stakeholders of the website.

while the website has a lot of different visitors, there are prehaps three or four main groups that the website aims at giving information to:

Prospective Students

Parents

Overseas Students.


Prospective students obviously want to know if the course they are investigating is available at the university. they are going to be focused towards finding out relevant course details, and prehaps more detailed information about various course information.

Parents, like students, are also going to be interested in course details. Their other considerations are likley to be secondary study factors, such as financial and accommodation matters.

Overseas Students are going to be considering all the above factors and more, as they have a number of specifics in relation to financial and/or accomodation matters. Whatsmore, there is a chance that English is a second language to these potential students, and so it is even more important that information is displayed clearly as to avoid confusion.


Taking these three key stakeholders into account, its possible to go on and develop questions for potential canditates, and i should have these produced in the next few days.

User Centered Design - Assignment Outline

Well now that i have the blog and running, its time to start explaining what my task is going to be. ive already said that we are looking at improving the usability of the Exeter University website, and now i can explain in a little more detail what we plan to do.



We are going to hopefully test an number of willing participants on their ability to navigate and gather information from the Exeter university website. by understanding the ways in which our test subjects go about this task will allow us to move towards developing the website in a more user accessable way.

Oliver

Start Of Blog!

Hey there,
this blog should show the development made towards user centered design, focusing around work looking at the Exeter University website, and ways that usability for the site could be improved.

Oliver.