2. TODAY
1)
2)
3)
4)
Anderson on a text usability test
Pair up– test those drafts!
The corner we’re turning: the proposal
Start an outline– how’s the document going to
change?

3. In Chapter 16
Anderson tells us how to usability test.
With a text, this process is similar to a workshop, but
it’s not precisely the same. We’re going to talk through
it– and we’ll use this method to workshop the
proposals when the time comes.
So here are Anderson’s guidelines:

4. Guideline 1:
Establish your test objectives

5. Why it matters:
If you just test something
randomly, you have no idea
what sort of data you’ll get.
BE FOCUSED!

6. Guideline 2:
Pick test readers that really
represent the target
readers

7. Why it matters:
If you test something that is
meant for parents on their
kids– you’re not really
getting good info.

8. Guideline 3:
Ask your testers to use the
text the way your readers
will.

9. Why it matters:
You couldn’t user test a
baseball bat by playing
tennis, would you? 

10. Guideline 4:
Learn how your draft effects
people’s attitudes.

11. Why it matters:
You might, at times, want an
emotional response, but if
you’re getting one you DON’T
expect, you need to know that.

12. Guideline 5:
Interview your test readers
after they have read and
used the document.

13. Why it matters:
You have a valuable
opportunity when you get a
chance to talk to the reader;
take advantage of those
moments.

14. Guideline 6:
Avoid biasing your test
results.

15. Why it matters:
Bias is bad. There’s no sense in
going through the effort of
testing if you’re going to then
botch/taint the data.

16. Guideline 7:
Interpret your test results
thoughtfully.

17. Why it matters:
You might be tempted to
assume that your text does
what you want it to; be
careful! The test could tell you
interesting things.

18. Based on those criteria
You have your rough draft, from last class, that you
tested using our usual peer review methods. I want
you to pair up and each use the other person for a
usability test using Anderson’s criteria.
Bear in mind this could take some time; don’t rush
through it.

19. Next up…
… is the proposal. We’ve talked a bit about it, but we will dive
head-first into it next week. What I’d like you to think about
between now and then is how your report will inform the
proposal and what will be different.
If we have the time, we’ll start outlines here, but I’d rather
we went slow with the user tests, so if we’re out of time, we
can do this later.

20. We’re almost out of time…
For Tuesday: read: Anderson, Chapter 23
For a refresher, re-watch the Proposal video if you
can’t remember it.