Usability Testing#

Usability refers to how usable something is. In the context of Interaction Design usability refers to how usable an interface is. Testing the usability of a design crucial to ensure the design matches the expectations of the users and solves the problems defined by the design process. The purpose of this activity is to gain an understanding of how well your prototype works with a user.

Note: Be mindful of who you test with, you must always practice ethical user research and testing. Don’t test your designs with children. Keep your testing strictly to friends and family.

• Reading: Interaction Design - Preece, pg. 496-509
  • 14.2 The Why, What, Where, and When of Evaluation
  • 14.3 Types of Evaluation
  • 14.4.1 Case Study 1: An Experiment Investigating a Computer Game

Task#

• Conduct a usability test on your most recent design with the following touchpoints in mind. Test on five people to gain a comprehensive understanding of any problems that arise.
  • Time to complete a task.
  • Time to complete a task after a specified time away from the product.
  • Number and type of errors per task.
  • Number of errors per unit of time.
  • Number of navigations to online help or manuals.
  • Number of users making a particular error.
  • Number of users completing a task successfully.
• Compile your findings into a usability report, refer to the guide provided on Moodle.