1. Tips and Tricks for Usability Testing
PMC Top Seminar 2011
Liisa-Maija Keinänen
UX Specialist, Adage
2. Adage - Pioneer in user-centred design
Market leader in usability research in Finland
We are 25 professionals in
• Concept design
• UI design
• Visual design
• Usability
• User experience
In 2010 a total of 1 257 users attended our studies.
Office and research facilities are located in
Arabianranta.
Founded in 2001: celebrating our 10-year
anniversary!
2 Tips for Usability Testing - PMC Top Seminar 2011
3. PDP Wavecure
Task: Design a better patient
experience for a new fibroid treatment.
Sponsored by Philips.
Challenge: How to enhance user
experience with strict medical
technology requirements?
3 Tips for Usability Testing - PMC Top Seminar 2011
4. PDP Wavecure
Task: Design a better patient
experience for a new fibroid treatment.
Sponsored by Philips.
Challenge: How to enhance user
experience with strict medical
technology requirements?
4 Tips for Usability Testing - PMC Top Seminar 2011
5. PDP Wavecure
Task: Design a better patient
experience for a new fibroid treatment.
Sponsored by Philips.
Challenge: How to enhance user
experience with strict medical
technology requirements?
5 Tips for Usability Testing - PMC Top Seminar 2011
6. PDP Wavecure
Iterative testing
and prototyping
6 Tips for Usability Testing - PMC Top Seminar 2011
7. PDP Wavecure
Iterative testing
and prototyping
7 Tips for Usability Testing - PMC Top Seminar 2011
8. PDP Wavecure
Iterative testing
and prototyping
8 Tips for Usability Testing - PMC Top Seminar 2011
9. Tip 1: Knowing what and why you’re studying
For efficient usage of your and your users’ time:
• Identify specific study questions.
• Learn from users — identify new questions.
9 Tips for Usability Testing - PMC Top Seminar 2011
10. Tip 1: Knowing what and why you’re studying
For efficient usage of your and your users’ time:
• Identify specific study questions.
• Learn from users — identify new questions.
”Is this usable?”
”We want to test the general
usability of our product.”
”Does the navigation work?”
”Does this concept work?”
10 Tips for Usability Testing - PMC Top Seminar 2011
11. Tip 1: Knowing what and why you’re studying
For efficient usage of your and your users’ time:
• Identify specific study questions.
• Learn from users — identify new questions.
”What does the customer
”Is this usable?”
expect? Can he find answers to
that exact need?”
”We want to test the general
usability of our product.” ”The system needs to work
seamlessly with this other tool.
”Does the navigation work?” Is that requirement fullfilled?”
”In which situations does the
”Does this concept work?” user find this concept useful?”
11 Tips for Usability Testing - PMC Top Seminar 2011
12. Tip 2: Knowing your users
In the ideal user-centred design, users are identified
and involved in the design process from the start.
• But, if you forget your users when designing,
remember them when testing.
12 Tips for Usability Testing - PMC Top Seminar 2011
13. Tip 2: Knowing your users
In the ideal user-centred design, users are identified
and involved in the design process from the start.
• But, if you forget your users when designing,
remember them when testing.
Example: a tourism portal
13 Tips for Usability Testing - PMC Top Seminar 2011
14. Tip 2: Knowing your users
In the ideal user-centred design, users are identified
and involved in the design process from the start.
• But, if you forget your users when designing,
remember them when testing.
Example: a tourism portal
Finnish tourist
14 Tips for Usability Testing - PMC Top Seminar 2011
15. Tip 2: Knowing your users
In the ideal user-centred design, users are identified
and involved in the design process from the start.
• But, if you forget your users when designing,
remember them when testing.
Example: a tourism portal
Finnish tourist
Russian tourist
15 Tips for Usability Testing - PMC Top Seminar 2011
16. Tip 2: Knowing your users
In the ideal user-centred design, users are identified
and involved in the design process from the start.
• But, if you forget your users when designing,
remember them when testing.
Example: a tourism portal
Finnish tourist
Russian tourist
Any tourist
16 Tips for Usability Testing - PMC Top Seminar 2011
17. Tip 2: Knowing your users
In the ideal user-centred design, users are identified
and involved in the design process from the start.
• But, if you forget your users when designing,
remember them when testing.
Example: a tourism portal
Finnish tourist Tourism companies
- Big companies
- Entrepreneurs
Russian tourist
Administrators
Any tourist
17 Tips for Usability Testing - PMC Top Seminar 2011
18. Tip 2: Knowing your users
In the ideal user-centred design, users are identified Take into account all your users, not just those
and involved in the design process from the start. whose usage results in direct income.
• But, if you forget your users when designing, • Don’t forget the guy who has to use your design
remember them when testing. at work every day!
Example: a tourism portal
Finnish tourist Tourism companies
- Big companies
- Entrepreneurs
Russian tourist
Administrators
Any tourist
18 Tips for Usability Testing - PMC Top Seminar 2011
19. Tip 3: What if there are no users?
Difficult to identify the users
• Completely new concepts
• New platforms
• Users are not available
19 Tips for Usability Testing - PMC Top Seminar 2011
20. Tip 3: What if there are no users?
Difficult to identify the users Find your users among these people:
• Completely new concepts • Who is the product designed for?
• New platforms • Who might use your product in the future?
• Users are not available • Who have a similar mindset as the real end-
users (students, colleagues etc.)?
20 Tips for Usability Testing - PMC Top Seminar 2011
21. Tip 3: What if there are no users?
Difficult to identify the users Find your users among these people:
• Completely new concepts • Who is the product designed for?
• New platforms • Who might use your product in the future?
• Users are not available • Who have a similar mindset as the real end-
users (students, colleagues etc.)?
An iPad application was ready for usability
testing in October 2010.
iPad was released in Finland in November 2010.
Who to test with? Active iPhone users!
- They are used to a similar use logic.
- They are potential iPad users as they are
interested in iOS products.
21 Tips for Usability Testing - PMC Top Seminar 2011
22. Tip 4: Making the situation as real as possible
Quick prototyping, early testing — yes! But…
Always try to test in the real environment with the
real medium or the real device. These factors can be
critical for usability.
• Images of computer screens shown on screen
instead of paper.
• Mobile services tested on the move.
• Work-related systems tested while using other
working tools.
22 Tips for Usability Testing - PMC Top Seminar 2011
23. Tip 4: Making the situation as real as possible
Quick prototyping, early testing — yes! But…
Also: Making interactive
Always try to test in the real environment with the prototypes is rather quick. Use
real medium or the real device. These factors can be your imagination!
critical for usability.
• Images of computer screens shown on screen
instead of paper.
• Mobile services tested on the move.
• Work-related systems tested while using other
working tools.
23 Tips for Usability Testing - PMC Top Seminar 2011
24. Tip 5: Guiding or prompting the user
Test results are of little use if you help the user
too much.
For the most fruitful findings, bear in mind:
• Ask and do not assume what the user thinks and
perceives.
• Use open questions.
• Do not use the user interface terms.
• Show the first step only if the user is completely
off-track.
24 Tips for Usability Testing - PMC Top Seminar 2011
25. Tip 5: Guiding or prompting the user
Test results are of little use if you help the user
too much.
For the most fruitful findings, bear in mind:
• Ask and do not assume what the user thinks and
perceives.
• Use open questions.
• Do not use the user interface terms.
• Show the first step only if the user is completely
off-track.
”Now that you have turned the
device on, you can see the
green light on top of it. Is the
light bright enough?”
25 Tips for Usability Testing - PMC Top Seminar 2011
26. Tip 5: Guiding or prompting the user
Test results are of little use if you help the user
too much. ”What happened when you pressed that
button?”
For the most fruitful findings, bear in mind: - I guess I turned the device on.
• Ask and do not assume what the user thinks and
perceives. ”What do you mean?”
• Use open questions. - Well… I’m not sure. There is no indication
of it being turned on.
• Do not use the user interface terms.
• Show the first step only if the user is completely ”What did you expect to happen?”
off-track. - I was hoping for some kind of a led lit or
something.
”Now that you have turned the ”Ok. Did you notice the green light on top
device on, you can see the of the device?”
green light on top of it. Is the - No, where? Oh there! No, I didn’t see
light bright enough?” that at all.
26 Tips for Usability Testing - PMC Top Seminar 2011
27. Tip 6: Respecting the user
Quite often you face the fact that
• Users can be stupid.
• Users can be wrong.
• Users can dislike your product.
They can still have valid opinions and help you
develop the product’s usability.
27 Tips for Usability Testing - PMC Top Seminar 2011
28. Final thoughts
Why test usability?
Because there are just so many ways a design
can be understood and remembered.
• Designer’s reality
• User’s reality
• Is either one the true reality?
Testing with users helps you make users realize what
was meant with the design.
28 Tips for Usability Testing - PMC Top Seminar 2011
29. 1.9. Thank you!
Contact
Liisa-Maija Keinänen
User Experience Specialist
liisa-maija.keinanen@adage.fi
Adage
Arabiankatu 12
FI-00560 Helsinki
Finland
29 Tips for Usability Testing - PMC Top Seminar 2011