We all know that usability testing can sometimes miss the mark, no matter what we do the test subject can never be completely unaffected by the situation they are asked to take part in. This was never more obvious than our first usability tests on a multi-touch, multi-person device. What then?

1. Users don't always help
@sallybieleny

2. Usability evaluation considered harmful
Saul Greenburg, Bill Buxton - CHI 2008 - Florence, Italy

3. Web users understand
• We know that we type something into an input box
• Buttons can be pushed
• Links selected
Images on this slide for presentation purposes only, sourced from:
http://www.essexcc.gov.uk/vip8/ecc/ECCWebsite/dis/guc.jsp?channelOid=15524&guideOid=15191&guideContentOid=15579
http://ycjusd.schoolfusion.us/modules/cms/pages.phtml?pageid=42187

4. Multi-touch users are learning
• New ways to enter information
• New gestures for moving things around
• And yet buttons are still pushed, links selected

5. But .....

6. Two new ways to interact
• Multi-person interactions
• Interactions that utilise physical objects

7. Images on this slide for presentation purposes only, sourced from:
http://www.momlogic.com/2010/03/einstein_didnt_have_a_dvd_player_baby_einstein.php
http://news.cnet.com/8301-13580_3-10128407-39.html
http://pointofviewreport.blogspot.com/2009_01_10_archive.html

8. Considerations
• Provide opportunities for users to learn
• Test early ideas with an expert team
• Reliance on a single technique could mean a lost opportunity
• Even if it is not understood now, does not mean it won’t be
• Observe, adapt your technique, observe, adapt again

9. “All that is valuable in human society depends
upon the opportunity for development accorded
the individual.” Albert Einstein

10. @sallybieleny
sally.bieleny@objectconsulting.com.au
www.touchingthesurface.com.au