Start a usability test

It is believed that each product designer wants to be able to create the very good, the fitting user's product, but the usability test is a very good tool for the product promotion function, may provide many very valuable content for the product, lets you have the appropriate to find a delicate balance between the product and the user.

Usability testing in a professional internet company is subordinate to the user research responsibilities, and user research this position is not every company will be set up, if you also like me to improve product quality and no help, there is no guide in this area of the peers, how to do? So I wrote this article, Not because I am a user study, nor am I proficient in usability testing.

Some time ago happened to chew some information, put down the notes and write down this article, this article can not make you proficient in usability testing, to give you a rough understanding of it, so at the end of the article, I will put some of the data collected before, to facilitate the follow-up in-depth study, At the same time hope that experienced people can learn a lot.

Preparation: Availability Test Resources

Test purpose: This usability test is intended to accomplish what purpose

Test time: Estimated time (90 minutes or so)

Staff: Several staff are required, typically 5 of the usability tests are performed by (5 testers, 5 accompanying testers, 1 assistants, 1 presenters)

Testers: 5 participants (5 testers will be able to 80% of the problem found, the number is not good, looking for people can choose according to their circumstances, generally find more "light users" and "have potential needs" of the person

Moderator: Be responsible for the whole usability test in tandem. (The lecture is below)

Part One: Developing test scenarios and tasks

The task is more ≠ the task is good

Set the task should not too much, 5 tasks, each task is not complex, it is best to naturally simulate the user's psychological

In the beginning if you do not know how to start testing, you can put the key points of the product out, in the setting task, the task needs to test a few points first implantation, and then slowly began to write supporting tasks and environment, the task need not be more, the core.

Start design Scenarios and tasks

This article introduces a very specific, you can see here "usability Test task Design Method"

Part two: Preparing for usability testing

Task Test paper: Several testers are involved in the production of several sets of test paper (each task 1 pieces of paper, the word is big.) )

Information Registration Form: Statistics participants age, hobby, sex, telephone

Screen video software: Faststone Capture (screen video software) If you have better to replace

Moderator: See "Miaoshouhuichun: Usability Testing and Optimization Guide" P76, it's been written very well.

Test process planning: "Miaoshouhuichun: Usability Testing and Optimization Guide" P74, Ibid.

Food: Water, paper, pen

Off-topic: "Miaoshouhuichun: Usability Testing and Optimization Guide" is a system elaborated usability test book, very complete, the foreign treatment usability test is very rigorous, like a science research (foreigner doing things really very serious detail). But because not professional research, not all according to the book to do, but select some content targeted to do, but recommended that everyone have time to read this book.

Part III: Internal Communication & Predictive test

There are 2 things you need to do before you start the test

A simple communication meeting with all the staff to communicate:

Explain the test process: Explain the purpose of the test, why to set such a situational task, what needs to be done, where to pay special attention to the user's actions at the time of testing

How to contact the User: When the tester does not go on the task of how to do, found that the user mood is not how to appease, whether the need to terminate the task and other conditions.

Pre-Test and corrective scenarios and tasks

Looking for a sunny afternoon, please 1, 2 colleagues, simple to carry out a forecast test, the main purpose is to check whether the information is ready, the whole process is smooth, and the task is reasonable, through the prediction test in time to adjust the content, also let their own long confidence

Part IV: Finally the test begins

The approximate process is as follows:

1. Welcomes

1. Introduce yourself

2. Explain the purpose and time of the test

3. Emphasize to the user that the object of the test is the system rather than the user

4. Ask the user to "think aloud" as much as possible

5. Inform the test will screen video, but the results are completely confidential

2. Questions

1. The occupation of the question, engaged in the industry

2. The situation of the Internet at ordinary times (how much time every day on the Internet, what website)

3. Use product preference at ordinary times

3. In the test

1. read out the task

2. Do not show in any way that the user is making a mistake or operating too slowly

3. Carefully observe and listen carefully to the suggestions of the users

4. Identify the user's emotions and choose to stop the task when necessary

5. When users encounter difficulties, try not to provide assistance and can give appropriate encouragement

6. When users complete a scene can be appropriate to ask "Why did you just do that", as simple as possible

4. Questions

1. Ask questions that you want to ask in the process but don't ask?

2. Ask questions that are of concern while observing?

5. Farewell

1. Thank the User

2. Send the user out of the door

3. Save the video and start finishing the record & analysis

Part V: Finishing summary, analysis and improvement

Assemble all the staff involved in the test, and make a summary of all the recorded problems, preferably a blackboard, all posted.

Then find out what can be improved immediately, first of all, to deal with the problem, then the big things carefully through the video, notes carefully considered, follow-up and product, interaction and so on to improve together.

This will almost complete a usability test, the above process can also be modified according to their actual situation.

Resources

Here are some of the previous references, and if you are interested in usability testing, you can look at these documents again:

Miaoshouhuichun: A guide to Usability testing and optimization

Easy and quick usability test notes

The tradeoff of usability testing (i)

Usability testing Process

Ucdchina "Usability Testing" topic

Article source: Ico UI Design