Slides from my "Usability Testing How To's" workshop with Event Handler.
http://www.eventhandler.co.uk/events/uxnightclass-usability
Westminster Hub, London UK 24 October 2013
===
Who is it for?
This workshop is for those who want to create products that will be easy to use. Usability testing is an important part of the process of designing digital products, but it can often be overlooked due to time, money, and training constraints. In this workshop you'll learn how to test any product's usability without spending a large amount of time and money. And how to use what you've learned to improve the product.
Who is it taught by?
This workshop is being taught by Evgenia Grinblo @grinblo, User Experience Specialist at mobile agency, Future Workshops. Born in Siberia, Jenny freelanced and trained in ethnographic research in Israel and the USA, before bringing her talent to the UK. Her pet peeve is badly written error-messages and she has a growing collection of them. You'll find her speaking on empathy, UX, and other passions.
What you'll learn
An introduction to usability testing - what is it?
Who should you test your product on?
What do you test?
How to facilitate a test and get reliable results
How to manage data and act on your findings with your team
Tools: Cheap, quick and effective testing tools for mobile and the web.
[2024]Digital Global Overview Report 2024 Meltwater.pdf
Usability Testing How To's - EventHandler, London Oct 24th 2013
1. USABILITY TESTING HOW TO’s
For small teams & little budgets
Evgenia (Jenny) Grinblo
& www.eventhandler.co.uk
London, UK Oct 24, 2013
(This is Henrik)
3. Workshop schedule
USABILITY TESTING
0 / Usability testing introduction
1 / What do we test: preparing a test plan
2 / Facilitating a usability test & recording results
3 / Analysing and presenting key learnings
4. USABILITY TESTING: INTRODUCTION
How to run a £3000 fool-proof test
✓
✓
✓
✓
The easiest, quickest, cheapest methods
Tips on facilitating, note-taking, & prioritising
How to run a usability test tomorrow
Resources & tools to keep learning
WHAT TO EXPECT TODAY
4
10. USABILITY TESTING: INTRODUCTION
2. EASY TO USE
Doesn’t make people feel stupid or inferior to the tool they
are using. Helps them feel in control.
www.errorwallofshame.tumblr.com
10
17. USABILITY TESTING: INTRODUCTION
17
• Behavioral vs. Self-reported
• Opportunity to ask “why?”
• Motivates teammates
• Removes “designer bias”
• Can be done on prototypes
• Can be cheap & quick
USABILITY TESTING
27. USABILITY TESTING: INTRODUCTION
‣
Friends, family, colleagues
‣
Social media followers
‣
Existing customers
‣
Streets and coffee shops
‣
Recruitment agencies (<expensive!)
WHERE DO WE FIND PARTICIPANTS?
22
28. USABILITY TESTING: INTRODUCTION
23
Idea stage
Definition stage
Exploring
Many ideas
High-level
“Dream world”
Focusing
Best ideas
Refined
Realistic
WHEN DO WE TEST?
AS EARLY AS POSSIBLE
30. USABILITY TESTING: INTRODUCTION
# OF TEAM MEMBERS EXPOSED TO
USERS IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN # OF
USERS
http://www.uie.com/articles/user_exposure_hours/
25
33. USABILITY TESTING: INTRODUCTION
“
I was completely surprised at how
cumbersome the users experience with the
app was. Basic tasks were which was so
obvious to me were suddenly a huge
barrier.
— DANIEL
Lead Developer, Future Workshops
http://www.uie.com/articles/user_exposure_hours/
28
34. USABILITY TESTING: INTRODUCTION
“
29
... What the usability testing did for me was
really prove how much tech people can
lose sight of who they are building
for. It about going back to basics in some
cases.
— DANIEL
Lead Developer, Future Workshops
http://www.uie.com/articles/user_exposure_hours/
35. USABILITY TESTING: INTRODUCTION
30
1. Highlights where our product isn’t intuitive / easy to use
2. Puts team in the shoes of users
3. Helps sell product improvements to stakeholders/ clients
4. Helps prioritise feature backlog
IN SUMMARY:
USABILITY TESTING BENEFITS
37. Workshop schedule
USABILITY TESTING
0 / Usability testing introduction
1 / What do we test: preparing a test plan
2 / Facilitating a usability test & recording results
3 / Analysing and presenting key learnings
39. PREPARING A TEST PLAN
To run a test, you need
‣
Some representation of your product
40. PREPARING A TEST PLAN
To run a test, you need
‣
Some representation of your product
‣
Preferably interactive
41. PREPARING A TEST PLAN
To run a test, you need
‣
Some representation of your product
‣
Preferably interactive
‣
Doesn’t have to be finished
42. PREPARING A TEST PLAN
To run a test, you need
‣
Some representation of your product
‣
Preferably interactive
‣
Doesn’t have to be finished
‣
Or: competitor product!
43. PREPARING A TEST PLAN
To run a test, you need
‣
Some representation of your product
‣
Preferably interactive
‣
Doesn’t have to be finished
‣
Or: competitor product!
‣
Idea of what you want to test
46. PREPARING A TEST PLAN
What do we test?
‣
General impressions
‣
Ease of use of critical features
47. PREPARING A TEST PLAN
What do we test?
‣
General impressions
‣
Ease of use of critical features
‣
Features we’re not sure about (e.g., is the
help clear?)
48. PREPARING A TEST PLAN
What do we test?
‣
General impressions
‣
Ease of use of critical features
‣
Features we’re not sure about (e.g., is the
help clear?)
‣
Response to design, iconography
49. PREPARING A TEST PLAN
What do we test?
‣
General impressions
‣
Ease of use of critical features
‣
Features we’re not sure about (e.g., is the
help clear?)
‣
Response to design, iconography
Tip: start from high-level when testing
prototypes, test the details with later builds
51. PREPARING A TEST PLAN
Wide
(Generative)
SET THE SCOPE
35
WHY will people use
this product?
52. PREPARING A TEST PLAN
Wide
(Generative)
Narrow
(Validating)
SET THE SCOPE
35
WHY will people use
this product?
53. PREPARING A TEST PLAN
Wide
(Generative)
Narrow
(Validating)
SET THE SCOPE
35
WHY will people use
this product?
HOW do these people
use this product?
54. PREPARING A TEST PLAN
Wide
(Generative)
36
Explore
How is the value
proposition of this tool
fit in with people’s lives
Confirm/iterate
Observing what people
do with this tool, in
their own environment
Narrow
(Validating)
SET THE SCOPE
Validate
How do people perform
specific task with this tool?
55. PREPARING A TEST PLAN
Wide
(Generative)
First...
37
Explore
How is the value
proposition of this tool
fit in with people’s lives
Confirm/iterate
Observing what people
do with this tool, in
their own environment
Narrow
(Validating)
SET THE SCOPE
Validate
How do people perform
specific task with this tool?
56. PREPARING A TEST PLAN
38
Ready?
FIRST IMPRESSIONS: THE 5 SECOND
TEST
58. PREPARING A TEST PLAN
• What is the purpose of the website/app?
• Name 3 things you can do with this website
• Who does this site or app belong to?
• How do you feel about this organisation?
5 SECOND TEST QUESTIONS
40
59. PREPARING A TEST PLAN
Wide
(Generative)
41
Explore
How is the value
proposition of this tool
fit in with people’s lives
Now...
Confirm/iterate
Observing what people
do with this tool, in
their own environment
Narrow
(Validating)
SET THE SCOPE
Validate
How do people perform
specific task with this tool?
60. PREPARING A TEST PLAN
Recruit
Participants
42
Prepare a
test plan
Test
Analyse +
iterate
PREPARING A DETAILED USABILITY
TEST
62. EXERCISE 1
Choose a product to test
Time: 10 minutes
‣
We are going to validate an existing,
finished product
‣
As a group, decide on a website or app to
test
‣
It can be your app - I must be able to
interact with it
Tip: avoid sites that require logging in (unless
you have a login to share)
66. PREPARING A TEST PLAN
Scenario Structure
‣
Your character
‣
Your motivation
67. PREPARING A TEST PLAN
Scenario Structure
‣
Your character
‣
Your motivation
‣
What you need to do
68. PREPARING A TEST PLAN
Scenario Structure
‣
Your character
‣
Your motivation
‣
What you need to do
‣
Any details like login information, etc
69. // TEST PLAN FOR:
// GROUP:
// PART:
// GENERAL SCENARIO
TASK
TASK
// SUCCESS PATH
// SCENARIO
// SCENARIO
// INFO (passwords, etc)
// INFO (passwords, etc)
@ Template by @grinblo
// SUCCESS PATH
70. // TEST PLAN FOR:
// GROUP:
// PART:
// GENERAL SCENARIO
Set up the motivation
TASK
TASK
// SUCCESS PATH
// SCENARIO
// SCENARIO
// INFO (passwords, etc)
// INFO (passwords, etc)
@ Template by @grinblo
// SUCCESS PATH
71. // TEST PLAN FOR:
// GROUP:
// PART:
// GENERAL SCENARIO
Set up the motivation
What we are testing
TASK
TASK
// SUCCESS PATH
// SCENARIO
// SCENARIO
// INFO (passwords, etc)
// INFO (passwords, etc)
@ Template by @grinblo
// SUCCESS PATH
72. // TEST PLAN FOR:
// GROUP:
// PART:
// GENERAL SCENARIO
Set up the motivation
What we are testing
TASK
// SUCCESS PATH
TASK
// SUCCESS PATH
What we want/expect the user to do
// INFO (passwords, etc)
// SCENARIO
// INFO (passwords, etc)
@ Template by @grinblo
// SCENARIO
73. // TEST PLAN FOR:
// GROUP:
// PART:
// GENERAL SCENARIO
Set up the motivation
What we are testing
TASK
// SUCCESS PATH
TASK
// SUCCESS PATH
What we want/expect the user to do
// SCENARIO
// SCENARIO
// INFO (passwords, etc)
// INFO (passwords, etc)
@ Template by @grinblo
Motivation to do the task + instructions
74. // TEST PLAN FOR:
// GROUP:
// PART:
// GENERAL SCENARIO
Set up the motivation
What we are testing
TASK
// SUCCESS PATH
TASK
// SUCCESS PATH
What we want/expect the user to do
// SCENARIO
// SCENARIO
// INFO (passwords, etc)
Information necessary for the task
// INFO (passwords, etc)
@ Template by @grinblo
Motivation to do the task + instructions
75. // TEST PLAN FOR:
// GROUP:
// GENERAL SCENARIO
TASK
TASK
// SUCCESS PATH
// SUCCESS PATH
// SCENARIO
// SCENARIO
// INFORMATION
// INFORMATION
// PART:
76. // TEST PLAN FOR:
// GROUP:
// PART:
// GENERAL SCENARIO
You need to cook a new recipe for the company potluck. You found a recipe
online and now you need to buy the ingredients and cook it.
TASK
TASK
// SUCCESS PATH
// SUCCESS PATH
// SCENARIO
// SCENARIO
// INFORMATION
// INFORMATION
77. // TEST PLAN FOR:
// GROUP:
// PART:
// GENERAL SCENARIO
You need to cook a new recipe for the company potluck. You found a recipe
online and now you need to buy the ingredients and cook it.
TASK
Text note
TASK
// SUCCESS PATH
// SUCCESS PATH
// SCENARIO
// SCENARIO
// INFORMATION
// INFORMATION
78. // TEST PLAN FOR:
// GROUP:
// PART:
// GENERAL SCENARIO
You need to cook a new recipe for the company potluck. You found a recipe
online and now you need to buy the ingredients and cook it.
TASK
Text note
// SUCCESS PATH
TASK
// SUCCESS PATH
Create a text note and make a bulleted
list of ingredients
// SCENARIO
// INFORMATION
// SCENARIO
// INFORMATION
79. // TEST PLAN FOR:
// GROUP:
// PART:
// GENERAL SCENARIO
You need to cook a new recipe for the company potluck. You found a recipe
online and now you need to buy the ingredients and cook it.
TASK
Text note
// SUCCESS PATH
TASK
// SUCCESS PATH
Create a text note and make a bulleted
list of ingredients
// SCENARIO
// INFORMATION
// SCENARIO
// INFORMATION
80. // TEST PLAN FOR:
// GROUP:
// PART:
// GENERAL SCENARIO
You need to cook a new recipe for the company potluck. You found a recipe
online and now you need to buy the ingredients and cook it.
TASK
Text note
Don’t show this to
the participant!
// SUCCESS PATH
TASK
// SUCCESS PATH
Create a text note and make a bulleted
list of ingredients
// SCENARIO
// INFORMATION
// SCENARIO
// INFORMATION
81. // TEST PLAN FOR:
// GROUP:
// PART:
// GENERAL SCENARIO
You need to cook a new recipe for the company potluck. You found a recipe
online and now you need to buy the ingredients and cook it.
TASK
Text note
Don’t show this to
the participant!
// SUCCESS PATH
TASK
// SUCCESS PATH
Create a text note and make a bulleted
list of ingredients
// SCENARIO
// SCENARIO
You need to remember what to buy.
Use the app to make a shopping list
you can take to the supermarket.
// INFORMATION
// INFORMATION
82. // TEST PLAN FOR:
// GROUP:
// PART:
// GENERAL SCENARIO
You need to cook a new recipe for the company potluck. You found a recipe
online and now you need to buy the ingredients and cook it.
TASK
Text note
Don’t show this to
the participant!
// SUCCESS PATH
TASK
// SUCCESS PATH
Create a text note and make a bulleted
list of ingredients
// SCENARIO
// SCENARIO
You need to remember what to buy.
Use the app to make a shopping list
you can take to the supermarket.
// INFORMATION
Print-out of a recipe from the internet
// INFORMATION
83. // TEST PLAN FOR:
// GROUP:
// PART:
// GENERAL SCENARIO
You need to cook a new recipe for the company potluck. You found a recipe
online and now you need to buy the ingredients and cook it.
TASK
Text note
Don’t show this to
the participant!
// SUCCESS PATH
TASK
Share a note via e-mail
// SUCCESS PATH
Create a text note and make a bulleted
list of ingredients
// SCENARIO
// SCENARIO
You need to remember what to buy.
Use the app to make a shopping list
you can take to the supermarket.
// INFORMATION
Print-out of a recipe from the internet
// INFORMATION
84. // TEST PLAN FOR:
// GROUP:
// PART:
// GENERAL SCENARIO
You need to cook a new recipe for the company potluck. You found a recipe
online and now you need to buy the ingredients and cook it.
TASK
Text note
Don’t show this to
the participant!
TASK
Share a note via e-mail
// SUCCESS PATH
// SUCCESS PATH
Create a text note and make a bulleted
list of ingredients
E-mail a note to a friend using swipe
to share
// SCENARIO
// SCENARIO
You need to remember what to buy.
Use the app to make a shopping list
you can take to the supermarket.
// INFORMATION
Print-out of a recipe from the internet
// INFORMATION
85. // TEST PLAN FOR:
// GROUP:
// PART:
// GENERAL SCENARIO
You need to cook a new recipe for the company potluck. You found a recipe
online and now you need to buy the ingredients and cook it.
TASK
Text note
Don’t show this to
the participant!
TASK
Share a note via e-mail
// SUCCESS PATH
// SUCCESS PATH
Create a text note and make a bulleted
list of ingredients
E-mail a note to a friend using swipe
to share
// SCENARIO
// SCENARIO
You need to remember what to buy.
Use the app to make a shopping list
you can take to the supermarket.
You really liked the new recipe and
you think your friend Jenny will like it
too.
Send the recipe to Jenny from within
the app.
// INFORMATION
Print-out of a recipe from the internet
// INFORMATION
86. // TEST PLAN FOR:
// GROUP:
// PART:
// GENERAL SCENARIO
You need to cook a new recipe for the company potluck. You found a recipe
online and now you need to buy the ingredients and cook it.
TASK
Text note
Don’t show this to
the participant!
TASK
Share a note via e-mail
// SUCCESS PATH
// SUCCESS PATH
Create a text note and make a bulleted
list of ingredients
E-mail a note to a friend using swipe
to share
// SCENARIO
// SCENARIO
You need to remember what to buy.
Use the app to make a shopping list
you can take to the supermarket.
You really liked the new recipe and
you think your friend Jenny will like it
too.
Send the recipe to Jenny from within
the app.
// INFORMATION
Print-out of a recipe from the internet
// INFORMATION
Jenny’s email:
jenny@futureworkshops.com
88. PREPARING A TEST PLAN
Scenario Tips
‣
Avoid using terminology from the
interface (e.g., search, tag, filter)
89. PREPARING A TEST PLAN
Scenario Tips
‣
Avoid using terminology from the
interface (e.g., search, tag, filter)
‣
Scenarios can have steps (e.g., find a
recipe and add it to your collection)
90. PREPARING A TEST PLAN
Scenario Tips
‣
Avoid using terminology from the
interface (e.g., search, tag, filter)
‣
Scenarios can have steps (e.g., find a
recipe and add it to your collection)
‣
Escalate the difficulty as the test
progresses
91. EXERCISE 2
Test Plan
Time: 20 mins
‣
Define 3 key tasks that must be intuitive
and easy to use in the application
‣
Identify the success paths for each task
(what we expect users to do)
‣
Decide on a general scenario + write
specific tasks
‣
Run through the test once
92. Workshop schedule
USABILITY TESTING
0 / Usability testing introduction
1 / What do we test: preparing a test plan
2 / Facilitating a usability test & recording results
3 / Analysing and presenting key learnings
93. FACILITATING A TEST & RECORDING RESULTS
Recruit
Participants
Prepare a
test plan
USABILITY TEST STEPS
52
Test
Analyse +
iterate
94. FACILITATING A TEST & RECORDING RESULTS
Facilitating
‣
Practice staying quiet
‣
Remind the participant to speak out loud
‣
Don’t give anything away
‣
Be reassuring, say thank you
‣
If they get stuck, wait (a little)
95. FACILITATING A TEST & RECORDING RESULTS
Facilitator Cheat-Sheet
If they forget to think aloud
‣
"What are you thinking right now?"
‣
"What are you finding confusing on this
screen?"
‣
"I know it's an unusual thing to do but could I
please ask you to keep thinking out loud and
talk as you go along? It really helps me
understand your experience better."
96. FACILITATING A TEST & RECORDING RESULTS
Facilitator Cheat-Sheet
If they get stuck
‣
"This is very helpful for us, we are uncovering
a lot of problems in the design that will help us
make the app better."
‣
"I can already see how useful this is going to
be in improving the app."
97. FACILITATING A TEST & RECORDING RESULTS
Facilitator Cheat-Sheet
If they have a question
‣
"Please continue in the way that makes sense
to you. We will learn a lot from seeing how
you proceed with this without any help."
‣
"I will be happy to answer your questions at
the end. Please try to try this task for a bit
longer."
98. FACILITATING A TEST & RECORDING RESULTS
Facilitator Cheat-Sheet
The golden go-to
‣
"We expected to uncover problems in the
design. You are not doing anything
wrong - we knew there would be issues and
you are helping us find them."
99. FACILITATING A TEST & RECORDING RESULTS
People will feel stupid.
Make them feel at ease.
58
101. FACILITATING A TEST & RECORDING RESULTS
Ways to record our findings
From easy to complicated
102. FACILITATING A TEST & RECORDING RESULTS
Ways to record our findings
From easy to complicated
‣
Pair up with a note-taker
103. FACILITATING A TEST & RECORDING RESULTS
Ways to record our findings
From easy to complicated
‣
Pair up with a note-taker
‣
DIY recording equipment
104. FACILITATING A TEST & RECORDING RESULTS
Ways to record our findings
From easy to complicated
‣
Pair up with a note-taker
‣
DIY recording equipment
‣
Professional recording equipment
105. FACILITATING A TEST & RECORDING RESULTS
Ways to record our findings
From easy to complicated
‣
Pair up with a note-taker
‣
DIY recording equipment
‣
Professional recording equipment
‣
Live-stream to a group of stakeholders
106. FACILITATING A TEST & RECORDING RESULTS
Note-taking brings down 2
barriers to testing: time &
equipment
(But I’ll give you some tips on recording later!)
60
107. FACILITATING A TEST & RECORDING RESULTS
Note-taking tips
Only record what’s important
‣
If someone is really happy
‣
If someone is really frustrated
‣
If someone fails a task
‣
Write down short quotes if you can
108. FACILITATING A TEST & RECORDING RESULTS
Notes Example
•
Taps Map on merchant profile but this opens the system Maps
app — confused
•
Goes to Search and types “coffee shops” but there are no results
— “why can’t I see what’s around me?”
•
"If I had to think about something around me, I’d start the
merchant profile and expect to see other things around me"
•
The icons aren’t telling me that Cafe Nero is a coffee shop
109. FACILITATING A TEST & RECORDING RESULTS
What to bring to the test
Printed scenarios & tasks for participant
Printed scenarios & tasks with success paths for
facilitator
Facilitator script
Optional: List of pre-test and debrief questions
Consent form (if needed)
Pen + paper / recording tools
Test setup checklist
110. FACILITATING A TEST & RECORDING RESULTS
Setting up the test
Reset the mobile app / site to the default
settings
Clear the test area of any open
documents, written notes, etc.
Prepare participant forms: scenarios,
intro script, consent form
Optional: Verify the recording equipment
Optional: Make sure the brightness on
the screen is reduced
111. EXERCISE 3
Usability Test
Time: 40 minutes
‣
Every 8 minutes, swap one member of
your group in exchange for a member
from another group
‣
The ‘foreign’ member is the participant
‣
Start running through the test you’ve
planned
‣
Everyone else in the group should be a
facilitator and a note-taker at least once
113. Workshop schedule
USABILITY TESTING
0 / Usability testing introduction
1 / What do we test: preparing a test plan
2 / Facilitating a usability test & recording results
3 / Analysing and presenting key learnings
114. ANALYSING & PRESENTING FINDINGS
Recruit
Participants
Prepare a
test plan
USABILITY TEST STEPS
68
Test
Analyse +
iterate
115. ANALYSING & PRESENTING FINDINGS
What to do with all the data?
‣
Identify changes with the biggest impact
& smallest effort as a team
‣
Find the “low-hanging fruit”
‣
What has impact on the bottom line?
‣
Put everything else in the ice-box
116. ANALYSING & PRESENTING FINDINGS
Identifying key findings
High-priority: people fail, or abandon the
task
Medium: people succeed but are
frustrated and unhappy
Low: people would enjoy the app more if...
117. ANALYSING & PRESENTING FINDINGS
Identifying key findings
High-priority: people fail, or abandon the
task
Medium: people succeed but are
frustrated and unhappy
Low: people would enjoy the app more if...
Tip: Work hard to prioritise the
highest-impact items. You can’t fix
everything.
121. ANALYSING & PRESENTING FINDINGS
Presenting findings
Task
What we expected
to happen
Interface screenshot
here
122. ANALYSING & PRESENTING FINDINGS
Presenting findings
Task
What we expected
to happen
Interface screenshot
here
What really
happened
123. ANALYSING & PRESENTING FINDINGS
Presenting findings
Task
What we expected
to happen
Interface screenshot
here
What really
happened
What we can fix
right now
124. EXERCISE 4
Identifying Key Findings
Time: 15 mins
‣
As a group, debrief on each person’s notes
‣
Find 2 high, 2 medium, and 2 low-priority
usability problems
‣
What will you fix first? Why?
‣
Jot down a quick summary of key findings
to present to the larger group
129. SUMMARY & CONCLUSION
Summary
‣
Match your test artifact to your scope
‣
Plan realistic scenarios that don’t give
away the test purpose
‣
Be encouraging and open to feedback
130. SUMMARY & CONCLUSION
Summary
‣
Match your test artifact to your scope
‣
Plan realistic scenarios that don’t give
away the test purpose
‣
Be encouraging and open to feedback
‣
Record only what’s needed
131. SUMMARY & CONCLUSION
Summary
‣
Match your test artifact to your scope
‣
Plan realistic scenarios that don’t give
away the test purpose
‣
Be encouraging and open to feedback
‣
Record only what’s needed
‣
Prioritise findings for maximum
impact
132. SUMMARY & CONCLUSION
DIY Usability
Testing
Steve Krug
76
Lean UX
Jeff Gothelf
DIVE IN MORE DEEPLY
Remote Research
Nate Bolt & Tony
Tulathimutte
133. SUMMARY & CONCLUSION
“
Any intelligent fool can make things bigger
and more complex. It takes courage, and a
touch of genius, to move in the opposite
direction.
– Albert Einstein
A FINAL THOUGHT
http://www.humanfactors.com/ROIposter.asp
77