The document describes the First Fridays usability testing program run by GSA, which provides low-cost usability testing and training to build internal UX expertise. It discusses how agencies can create similar educational programs, with a focus on hands-on testing, to train staff in UX practices. The program trains volunteers and interns over multiple months who then conduct their own tests, with two examples given of "graduates" who were then able to apply and promote UX work at their agencies.

1. Get Your Train On:
Building Your UX Team Through
Practical Usability Testing
GSA First Fridays Usability Program
Jonathan Rubin
Angela Hooker
October 2012

2. Hi!
Jonathan Rubin
@jonathan_rubin
Angela Hooker
@AccessForAll
2

3. 3

4. Usability tests
+
Usability
education
=
More trained
UX staff!
4

5. In this 30 minutes
1. What is First Fridays?
2. How to create an educational
program
3. Stories from “graduates”
5

6. 1. What is First Fridays?
6

7.  Education
 Demonstration Tests
 Awareness
7

8. Best: Two rooms to test
Observation room Testing room
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9. First Fridays “discount” testing
8:30 – 11:30 AM = 3 testers, 1 hour
9

10. First Fridays “discount” testing
8:30 – 11:30 AM = 3 testers, 1 hour
11:30 – Noon = Lunch and accessibility
10

11. First Fridays “discount” testing
8:30 – 11:30 AM = 3 testers, 1 hour
11:30 – Noon = Lunch and accessibility
Noon – 12:45 PM = Collect problems
11

12. First Fridays “discount” testing
8:30 – 11:30 AM = 3 testers, 1 hour
11:30 – Noon = Lunch and accessibility
Noon – 12:45 PM = Collect problems
12:45 – 1:30 PM = Offer solutions
12

13. First Fridays “discount” testing
8:30 – 11:30 AM = 3 testers, 1 hour
11:30 – Noon = Lunch and accessibility
Noon – 12:45 PM = Collect problems
12:45 – 1:30 PM = Offer solutions
1:30 PM = Adjourn
13

14. First Fridays “discount” testing
 DOT  State
 Interior  FCC
 IRS  USAJobs
 Army  Census
 NASA  NSF
 OMB  And 35 others
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15. Free @ HowTo.gov/firstfridays
 Usability testing  Project
scripts management
 Email templates  Before and after
 Best practices screenshots
 Final report  Videos
examples  Etc.
15

16. Hallway test
16

17. Teach ‘em to fish …
17

18. In this 30 minutes
1. What is First Fridays?
2. How to create an educational
program
18

19. Behind the curtain
19

20. Team sport
20

21. Each test is
a training
opportunity
21

22. Matrixed approach to staffing
 Part-time
volunteers!
 Borrow from other
departments
 You are “providing
skill building
opportunities”
 Flexible needs: 1 -
20 hours a month
22

23. Many roles to choose from
• Observe
• Room Manager
• Greeter
• Data Collector
• Backup
23

24. Grow your
own facilitator
24

25. Get it: Rocket Surgery Made Easy
 Commit to monthly
product testing
 Same time each
month
 More observers +
more testing =
more buy-in
25

26. 4-step process
26

27. Make a big deal
27

28. Make a syllabus for trainees
1. Summary
28

29. Make a syllabus for trainees
1. Summary
2. Cost + duration
29

30. Make a syllabus for trainees
1. Summary
2. Cost + duration
3. Program goals
30

31. Make a syllabus for trainees
1. Summary
2. Cost + duration
3. Program goals
4. Schedule and timeline
31

32. Make a syllabus for trainees
1. Summary
2. Cost + duration
3. Program goals
4. Schedule and timeline
5. Optional reading
32

33. Manage it
33

34. In this 30 minutes
1. What is First Fridays?
2. How to create an educational
program
3. Stories from “graduates”
34

35. Graduate 1: internal
David Kaufmann
Federal Information
Specialist
david.kaufmann@gsa.gov
35

36. Graduate 1: internal
• Needed UX work
36

37. Graduate 1: internal
• Needed UX work
• Four months training with us
37

38. Graduate 1: internal
• Needed UX work
• Four months training with us
• Comparison test – 2 designs, 30
users
38

39. Graduate 1: internal
• Needed UX work
• Four months training with us
• Comparison test – 2 designs, 30
users
• Informed content of 100s of pages
39

40. Graduate 1: internal
• Needed UX work
• Four months training with us
• Comparison test – 2 designs, 30
users
• Informed content of 100s of pages
• Speaks publicly about usability
40

41. Graduate 1: internal
• Needed UX work
• Four months training with us
• Comparison test – 2 designs, 30
users
• Informed content of 100s of pages
• Speaks publicly about usability
• Tests on Call Center
41

42. Graduate 2: external
 Couldn’t persuade agency to test, so
volunteered
42

43. Graduate 2: external
 Couldn’t persuade agency to test, so
volunteered
 Four months training with us
43

44. Graduate 2: external
 Couldn’t persuade agency to test, so
volunteered
 Four months training with us
 Made 8 personas (tested 4)
44

45. Graduate 2: external
 Couldn’t persuade agency to test, so
volunteered
 Four months training with us
 Made 8 personas (tested 4)
 UX test and marketed it
45

46. In conclusion …
 You can do it
46

47. In conclusion …
 You can do it
 No cost – and money saving
47

48. In conclusion …
 You can do it
 No cost – and money saving
 Employee multiplier
48

49. Thanks!
Jonathan Rubin
@jonathan_rubin
jonathan.rubin@gsa.gov
Angela Hooker
@AccessForAll
angela.hooker@gsa.gov
49