Usability Testing

Question 1

Which process of the the design thinking process is the test phase in?

Answer 1

Interation

Question 2

What is usability testing?

Answer 2

Usability testing is an evaluative research method, in that it’s intended to evaluate a prototype or experience.

The testing of a product on users to evaluate its usefulness.

Usability testing gives designers a means of seeing how real people interact with a product or service to determine whether it serves its intended purpose.

Question 3

attitudinal

Answer 3

Something that is related to attitude

Question 4

What is the goal of usability testing?

Answer 4

To directly observe another’s behavior and interaction with your prototype.

Question 5

Usability test are scripted to include ___ ____ and _____.

Answer 5

specific tasks and scenarios.

Question 6

_____ observation of a user while performing these tasks is essential, either in-person or remotely using online tools.

Answer 6

Direct

Question 7

What is Generative research?

Answer 7

typically conducted up front and helps designers build a better understanding of the problem space. One such example is conducting interviews as a way to observe the thoughts and feelings of users regarding the identified problem.

Question 8

What is Evaluative research?

Answer 8

Is conducted throughout the design process to evaluate how well designers are solving a problem. Usability testing is an important example.

Question 9

Why do we conduct usability testing?

Answer 9

The ultimate goal of usability testing is to build something that is useful. To be useful, our prototype needs to provide the appropriate utility, or features, as well as be usable—these features must be sufficiently simple and enjoyable to use.

It allows designers to get real user feedback on their wireframes and prototypes before putting too much time and too many resources into developing high-difelity, polished designs.

Question 10

What is utility in the context of usability testing?

Answer 10

The features and functionality needed to complete important tasks.

Does your application provide the necessary functionality to allow people to sign up, log in, and input personal information?

Does the application provide a logical pattern of navigation, as well as the ability to upload and study new words?

Question 11

What is usability in the context of usability testing?

Answer 11

How easy your project features are to use, as well as whether they bring satisfaction.

Can people successfully navigate your application when asked to find a certain section?
How long does it take them to upload a new word?
Do they enjoy studying new words with the prototype you’ve built?

Question 12

Useful =

Answer 12

Usability + Utility. For something to be useful, it must address the functional and emotional requirements expressed by your target audience during exploratory research. The only way to validate the usefulness of your prototype is to test it with real people using evaluative research methods such as usability testing.

Question 13

Exploratory research methods like user interviews help designers do what?

Answer 13

It helps designers make the “right thing” by allowing them to explore the problem space and understand their target audience.

Question 14

Evaluative research method help designers do what?

Answer 14

“make the thing right” by allowing them to test what they’re building.

Question 15

What are Jakob Nielson’s Five componenets of Usability?

Answer 15

1. Learnability
2. Efficiency
3. Memorability
4. Satisfaction
5. Errors

Question 16

What is Jakob Nielsen’s rating scale?

Answer 16

0 = I don’t agree that this is a usability problem at all

1 = Cosmetic problem only: need not be fixed unless extra time is available on project

2 = Minor usability problem: fixing this should be given low priority

3 = Major usability problem: important to fix and should be given high priority

4 = Usability catastrophe: imperative to fix before product can be released

Question 17

What are the two types of tests researcher use to gather feedback from real people?

Answer 17

1. Moderated

2. Unmoderated

Question 18

What are moderated tests?

Answer 18

Moderated tests require the direct presence of a researcher and/or observer to facilitate the test via a script.

Question 19

What are the pros to moderated tests?

Answer 19

This typically creates more controlled tests with more specific results because a moderator is able to ask follow-up questions and can observe body language in addition to verbal responses.

Question 20

What are the cons to moderated tests?

Answer 20

This kind of testing tends to be more time-consuming to set up and carry out as the moderator must be physically present, and this presence can change the way certain participants respond.

Question 21

When should you use moderated tests?

Answer 21

Moderated tests are especially useful during the early states of prototyping.

Question 22

How are unmoderated tests defer from moderated tests?

Answer 22

They don’t require the physical presence of a moderator and are, instead, conducted asynchronously online using a variety of specialized tools such as UserTesting, Userzoom, UsabilityHub.

Question 23

What are the pros to unmoderated tests?

Answer 23

The asynchronous nature of online tests means that researchers have more flexibility in recruiting participants and running tests, allowing for a higher volume of responses.

Unmoderated tests also mitigate geographic and scheduling differences between researchers and participants.

Question 24

What are the cons to unmoderated tests?

Answer 24

Researchers aren’t able to observe body language or ask follow-up questions, since they aren’t present.

Question 25

When should you use unmoderated tests?

Answer 25

Unmoderated tests are most useful when testing very specific tasks for a mature project or platform.

Question 26

When can increased granularity and higher volume of responses be useful?

Answer 26

When evaluating a specific task or feature

Question 27

What is involved in conducting a usability test?

Answer 27

1. Writing your test tasks
2. Creating a test plan
3. Preparing a test script
4. Taking good notes

Question 28

How are usability test tasks structured?

Answer 28

They are typically structured to evaluate a participant’s ability to complete specific tasks.

Question 29

What are the two common usability test tasks format?

Answer 29

Direct tasks and Scenario tasks

Question 30

What are Direct tasks?

Answer 30

Tasks that give specific intructions to complete a desired action without any additional context.

For example:

• Add a vocabulary word to your list
• Edit the definition of one of the vocabulary words

Question 31

What are Scenario tasks?

Answer 31

Tasks that are phrased to add real-world context to task instructions. Scenario tasks are more common, as they provide a realistic element to usability testing.

For example:

• You have just finished an online lesson and have a long list of new vocabulary words. Pick a new word from the lesson and add it to your list.
• You keep forgetting the same word and would like to edit its definition to make it more memorable. Find the word and add a new, more personal definition.

Question 32

Why should you start with direct tasks when creating a usability test?

Answer 32

Direct tasks are mre technical and clearly articulate the fundamental goals and actions the platform should facilitate.

Question 33

What are some top tips for writing effective tasks?

Answer 33

1. Start with direct tasks: Direct tasks are more technical and clearly articulate the fundamental goals and actions the platform should facilitate.
2. Add context: Direct tasks provide the functional foundation for your scenario tasks. If the situation in which participants use your product or service is important for your project, consider adding context to your direct tasks to create scenario tasks.
3. Don’t give it away: When writing tasks, be careful not to use highly descriptive or technical language that gives away the answer. Convey only the most essential information when encouraging participants to complete the tasks—don’t give away literal clues on how to use the interface. Watch out for phrases like “find the plus sign,” “go to the website,” “click upload,” or “press this button.” Instead, use more natural language to frame tasks. For example: “You’ve just finished studying a set of vocabulary and would like to access a different set of vocabulary words. Return to your word lists and find another deck to study.”
4. Expect questions: Encourage participants to think out loud and ask questions. If the question is relevant, keep asking “why” until you get to the root of their behavior or attitude regarding the topic. If they move off-topic, gracefully guide the participant back to the task at hand.
5. Keep it real: Try to recruit participants from your target audience. The direct tasks and scenario tasks should be realistic and relatable to the project and participants.

Question 34

All the information gained from a usability test will be summarized as part of a usability ___ ____.

Answer 34

test report

Question 35

What is utility and usability in the context of usability testing?

Answer 35

Utility refers to the features and functionality needed to complete important tasks while usability is how easy your features are to use.

Question 36

What is a usability test script?

Answer 36

A script that outlines how the researcher will introduce him or herself and communicate the goals of the test to participants

Question 37

What’s the difference between moderated and unmoderated tests?

Answer 37

Moderated tests require the physical presence of a researcher while unmoderated tests are done remotely without a researcher