Elizabeth Snowdon is a senior business analyst and consultant specializing in user-centered design with over 12 years of experience. Her presentation discusses prototyping and usability testing, noting that usability testing should occur throughout the product development lifecycle to identify and address usability issues. She outlines the benefits of usability testing and prototyping, such as creating more useful, efficient and satisfying products for users. The presentation provides guidance on planning, conducting and analyzing usability tests, including determining test objectives, recruiting representative users, developing test tasks and metrics to collect.
These slides provide an introduction to usability testing. This well-known method in user-centred design is used to improve products, by having participants interact with these products and by measuring their performances and responses.
I presented this topic as a guest lecturer to first-year Psychology students at the University of Twente at February 6th, 2017. Providing examples and best practices from Dutch digital design agency Mirabeau, I explained to them the required steps for the preparation, the moderation, and the analysis of usability tests. Moreover, I highlighted the importance of psychologists’ knowledge, (research) methods and skills for design, which I believe to be invaluable.
What is Heuristic evaluation
Background
Benefits
Main advantages and drawbacks of the method
Scenario and methods of evaluation
10 usability Heuristics in usability engineering
How to conduct heuristic Evaluation
Phases of the Evaluation Method
Problems and Evaluators
Seamlessness thought the whole user experience
Slides talk about complete process of usability testing, extensively discusses usability components, phases of usability testing process and significance of designing with empathy
Chapter 9: Evaluation techniques
from
Dix, Finlay, Abowd and Beale (2004).
Human-Computer Interaction, third edition.
Prentice Hall. ISBN 0-13-239864-8.
http://www.hcibook.com/e3/
These slides provide an introduction to usability testing. This well-known method in user-centred design is used to improve products, by having participants interact with these products and by measuring their performances and responses.
I presented this topic as a guest lecturer to first-year Psychology students at the University of Twente at February 6th, 2017. Providing examples and best practices from Dutch digital design agency Mirabeau, I explained to them the required steps for the preparation, the moderation, and the analysis of usability tests. Moreover, I highlighted the importance of psychologists’ knowledge, (research) methods and skills for design, which I believe to be invaluable.
What is Heuristic evaluation
Background
Benefits
Main advantages and drawbacks of the method
Scenario and methods of evaluation
10 usability Heuristics in usability engineering
How to conduct heuristic Evaluation
Phases of the Evaluation Method
Problems and Evaluators
Seamlessness thought the whole user experience
Slides talk about complete process of usability testing, extensively discusses usability components, phases of usability testing process and significance of designing with empathy
Chapter 9: Evaluation techniques
from
Dix, Finlay, Abowd and Beale (2004).
Human-Computer Interaction, third edition.
Prentice Hall. ISBN 0-13-239864-8.
http://www.hcibook.com/e3/
A presentation on UX Experience Design: Processes and Strategy by Dr Khong Chee Weng from Multimedia University at the UX Indonesia-Malaysia 2014 that was conducted on the 26th April 2014 in the Hotel Bidakara, Jakarta, Indonesia.
User Experiments in Human-Computer InteractionDr. Arindam Dey
This lecture covers the basics of user experiment design in human-computer interaction. Computer scientists and developers often create interfaces for a particular purpose. This lecture explains how a user experiment can be designed and conducted to systematically compare one interface with the other.
Understanding the basic stuff of user experience design in an application. Create user flow and wireframing 1 on 1 start from understanding the why we need the wireframe, what exactly wireframe and user flow it is, And how to create and implement n digital product design such as application mobile or website.
Is User Centered Design a buzzword, a technique, or a methodology? Why does "UCD" get so much attention? How has it changed how teams approach web application usability efforts? Is UCD right for you?
1. User Centered Design: Evolving from Dot-Com to Web 2.0
2. Why UCD? (Development, Business, Design benefits)
3. Development process: UCD vs. Agile vs. Waterfall
4. Case Studies: User Centered Design success stories
5. Is UCD right for you?: Planning a UCD process for your product
6. Q & A
Prezentacja na temat książki Dona Normana "Design of everyday things" przygotowana na spotkanie z serii "UX Book Club".
Prezentacja z notatkami jest dostępna tutaj:
http://bit.ly/DesignOfEverdayThings
UI UX design and product design is a course that leads you to a good career. To be a good UI UX designer, a person needs to be creative and a good design thinker. UI UX design is a non code design career where you just need to do research and design a good perfect one.
You can even choose this as your career guide and project topic for computer science students.
A. Three Main Outcomes of a Usable Interface
B. Five Dimensions of Interactive Design
C. Philosophy of Interaction
D. Usability Test
E. Funnel Analysis
HCI 3e - Ch 6: HCI in the software processAlan Dix
Chapter 6: HCI in the software process
from
Dix, Finlay, Abowd and Beale (2004).
Human-Computer Interaction, third edition.
Prentice Hall. ISBN 0-13-239864-8.
http://www.hcibook.com/e3/
User interface and user experience ui ux design basicsRavi Bhadauria
In this video there is a complete description for what are the basics needed for UI as well as UX. To learn these from an institute, then join ADMEC Multimedia Institute.
A presentation on UX Experience Design: Processes and Strategy by Dr Khong Chee Weng from Multimedia University at the UX Indonesia-Malaysia 2014 that was conducted on the 26th April 2014 in the Hotel Bidakara, Jakarta, Indonesia.
User Experiments in Human-Computer InteractionDr. Arindam Dey
This lecture covers the basics of user experiment design in human-computer interaction. Computer scientists and developers often create interfaces for a particular purpose. This lecture explains how a user experiment can be designed and conducted to systematically compare one interface with the other.
Understanding the basic stuff of user experience design in an application. Create user flow and wireframing 1 on 1 start from understanding the why we need the wireframe, what exactly wireframe and user flow it is, And how to create and implement n digital product design such as application mobile or website.
Is User Centered Design a buzzword, a technique, or a methodology? Why does "UCD" get so much attention? How has it changed how teams approach web application usability efforts? Is UCD right for you?
1. User Centered Design: Evolving from Dot-Com to Web 2.0
2. Why UCD? (Development, Business, Design benefits)
3. Development process: UCD vs. Agile vs. Waterfall
4. Case Studies: User Centered Design success stories
5. Is UCD right for you?: Planning a UCD process for your product
6. Q & A
Prezentacja na temat książki Dona Normana "Design of everyday things" przygotowana na spotkanie z serii "UX Book Club".
Prezentacja z notatkami jest dostępna tutaj:
http://bit.ly/DesignOfEverdayThings
UI UX design and product design is a course that leads you to a good career. To be a good UI UX designer, a person needs to be creative and a good design thinker. UI UX design is a non code design career where you just need to do research and design a good perfect one.
You can even choose this as your career guide and project topic for computer science students.
A. Three Main Outcomes of a Usable Interface
B. Five Dimensions of Interactive Design
C. Philosophy of Interaction
D. Usability Test
E. Funnel Analysis
HCI 3e - Ch 6: HCI in the software processAlan Dix
Chapter 6: HCI in the software process
from
Dix, Finlay, Abowd and Beale (2004).
Human-Computer Interaction, third edition.
Prentice Hall. ISBN 0-13-239864-8.
http://www.hcibook.com/e3/
User interface and user experience ui ux design basicsRavi Bhadauria
In this video there is a complete description for what are the basics needed for UI as well as UX. To learn these from an institute, then join ADMEC Multimedia Institute.
Usability testing (or user testing) involves measuring the ease with which users can complete common tasks on your website. The results of the analysis are a huge eye-opener and their implementation often leads to:
Increased sales and task completion and a high rate of return site visitors
A greatly improved understanding of your customers’ needs
A significant reduction in call centre enquiries
A much more user-focused in-house development team Source: http://www.wbcsoftwarelab.com/wbcblog/read-basics-of-usability-testing
The goal of this presentation is to give attendees a deeper understanding of usability testing so they can leverage it in their own work. The material will shed light on what is important to the research buyer and will help the research provider to better understand how to plan, moderate, and report on a usability study. It will also provide information on where they can go to learn more about this very practical qualitative method.
Kay will cover what a usability test is and when to use it, the key planning steps, the language around it, and the unique insights this method produces. She will also discuss the various approaches a market researcher can take when running a usability study at different points in a product’s development (e.g., concept, early prototype, released product).
It is possible for a product to pass quality assurance tests and acceptance testing without being user-friendly. It is also too easy for those of us who build digital products to make assumptions about what our users need. As a design thinker, I strive to bring the authentic voices of complex audiences into the product lifecycle through pragmatic research.
A sound design research process not only shapes digital products to be more usable, it also adds value to drive engagement.
Webinar - Design Thinking for Platform EngineeringOpenCredo
Design Thinking is revolutionising the delivery of next-level digital services with best-of-breed product design and user interface principles ensuring close alignment with users and making services a joy to use.
While much of this success has been in the delivery of customer-facing services, there is untapped potential when it comes to delivering frictionless experiences for the internal users of your infrastructure services – promising business value through increased productivity and reduced frustration in your development and operations teams.
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Jeff Belden MD and Janey Barnes PhD co-presented at HIMSS Virtual Conference June 2010. You can hear the audio recording if you are a HIMSS member, available online.
[Webinar] Visa's Journey to a Culture of ExperimentationOptimizely
Join us as we hear Ramkumar Ravichandran, the Director of A/B Testing at Visa Checkout, explain how he created a high impact experimentation program. Ram will take us through the growth of Visa’s program: from selling the value, to laying down the vision, the roadmap and success criteria, to creating the right team and driving engagement with the program.
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User experience & design user centered analysisPreeti Chopra
UCA is a multistage process which allows designers to analyze and foresee how user is going to use the product. UCA employs proven and objective data-gathering and analysis techniques to develop a clear understanding of who the users are and how they will approach a website or application.
Software organizations that want to maximize the yield of Software Testing find that choosing the right testing strategy is hard, and most testing managers are ill-prepared for this. The organization has to learn how to plan testing efforts based on the characteristics of each project and the many ways the software product is to be used. This tutorial is intended for Software professionals who are likely to be responsible for defining the strategy and planning of the testing effort and managing it through its life cycle. These roles are usually Testing Managers or Project Managers.
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2. About me
Senior Business / Web Analyst Consultant
Specialization in User Centred Design
Over 12 years experience in high-technology
companies leading software implementations, usability
testing and web site design projects
Conducting usability tests since 2003
Clients/projects include:
Sage
PMC-Sierra
Vancity
Royal Bank of Canada
3. Key takeaways
Benefits of usability testing
When in the software development lifecycle to
apply usability testing
Prototyping to test design concepts
Learn the fundamentals of usability testing
4. What is usability?
ISO 9241-11
“the extent to which a product can be used by specified
users to achieve specified goals with effectiveness,
efficiency, and satisfaction in a specified context of use.”
Usability Professionals Association
Isan approach that incorporates direct user feedback
throughout the development cycle in order to reduce
costs and create products and tools that meet user
needs
5. What is usability?
Steve Krug, author of Don’t Make Me Think
“..makingsure that something works well: that a person
of average (or even below average) ability and
experience can use the thing --- for it’s intended
purpose without getting hopelessly frustrated”
6. Commonality of usability definitions
A user is involved
That user is doing something
That user is doing something with a product, system,
or other thing.
Tullis and Albert
7. User Centered Design
Focus on users’ needs, tasks, and goals
Invest in initial research and requirements
Identify your target audience and observe them
Let users define product requirements
Iterative design process
Observe real target users using the system
9. What is usability testing?
is a technique used to evaluate a product by testing
it on representative users.
test users will try to complete typical tasks while
observers watch, listen and takes notes.
10. Can usability be measured?
Using usability metrics
Most common metrics:
Effectiveness – being able to complete a task
Efficiency – amount of effort required to complete a
task
Satisfaction – degree to which the user is happy with
his/her experience
11. 5 E’s of usability
Effective: How completely and accurately the work
or experience is completed or goals reached
Efficient: How quickly this work can be completed
Engaging: How pleasant and satisfying it is to use
Error Tolerant: How well the product prevents errors
and can help the user recover from mistakes
Easy to Learn: How well the product supports both
the initial and continued learning
12. When to usability test
Usability testing throughout the product lifecycle
- Rubin and Chisnell
16. Informing design
Identify and rectify usability deficiencies prior to
product release
Intent to create products that:
Are useful to and valued by target audience
Are easy to learn
Help people to be efficient and effective
Are satisfying (delightful) to use
17. Eliminating design problems and
frustration
Expectation that products are high quality and easy
to use
Demonstrate that goals and priorities of customer
are important
Release a product that customers find useful,
effective, efficient and satisfying
18. Improving profitability
Creating a historical record of usability benchmarks
for future releases
Minimizing the cost of service and support calls
Increasing sales and the probability of repeat sales
Acquiring a competitive edge
Minimizing the risk
20. Follow the principles
David Travis, “Many usability tests are worthless.
Mar 7, 2011
Researchers recruit the wrong kind of
participants, test the wrong kind of
tasks, put too much weight on people's
opinions, and expect participants to
generate design solutions.”
21. Test participants
Participant’s background and abilities should be
representative of your product’s intended user
user profile – person with the relevant behaviour,
skills, and knowledge who will use your product.
22. Visualize the test participant
We want to find out where in the process of creating
an expense report employees meet obstacles to
completing and submitting their reports [the test
objective]. The user of our employee expense
reporting system travels about four times a year,
attends one conference per year and creates about
ten different reports a year. He or she is comfortable
using computers and likes the ability to submit reports
remotely.
23. How many users to test?
Source:
Jakob Nielsen
6-8 users per test or 5 users spread over multiple tests
little ROI in testing more than 9 users
24. Quantitative tests – test 20 users
Experts recommend that you test at least 20 users for quantitative studies.
Source: Jakob Nielsen
30. Remote testing requirements
Moderator / Note-taker
Screen sharing: WebEx or web conferencing tool
Recording: Morae, Camtasia
Speakerphone
Participant
High speed internet access
Speakerphone or headset telephone
for more info, go to Remote Testing Presentation
http://bit.ly/7RYwSO
32. Benefits of prototyping
Prototyping is generative.
Communicates using show and tell
Reduces misinterpretation
saves time, effort and money
creates a feedback loop, which ultimately reduces
risk
34. Appropriate Fidelity
“There is no such thing as high or low fidelity, only
appropriate fidelity.” Bill Buxton
Depends on
where you are in the product development cycle
your goals and your audience
36. Low Visual and Low Functional Fidelity
can be made swiftly, changed without repercussion,
and still help visualize a concept.
answering large structural questions:
Does the system have all the features required to
support the user’s goals?
Does the workflow make sense at a high level?
Which UX concept works best?
Coming to consensus on a UX concept with stakeholders
38. Low Visual and High Functional Fidelity
interactive, HTML interactive wireframes
Evaluating the usability of proposed designs for new
systems
Exploring isolated interactions as a proof-of-concept
Validating UX design direction with stakeholders
Validating the implementation of requirements with
stakeholders
Supplementing printed documentation for development
teams
Performing remote testing
39. High Visual / High Functional Fidelity
Not usually worth the time and effort
Useful for:
Evaluating the usability of proposed UX designs for an
existing system
Performing usability tests with non-savvy user groups
Supplementing printed documentation for offshore
development teams
42. Usability test process
Test
environment
Test conduct
Analyze Report &
Planning Recruiting &
results Presentation
debriefing
Test
materials
43. Planning your test
Decide what to test
What are your objectives
What data will you collect
Who is your target audience?
Write a screener
Decide on test location
Remote, lab, conference room, coffee shop
Write tasks that meet your objectives
44. Deciding what to test
Understand requirements
What do users want to accomplish?
What does the company want to accomplish?
Determine the goals
What tasks does the web site or application support?
Decide on the area of focus
Tasksthat have the most impact on your site
Typical tasks
Most critical tasks
45. Test plan
Purpose, goals, and objectives
Participant characteristics
Method (test design)
Task list
Test environment, equipment and logistics
Test moderator role
Evaluation measures (data to be collected)
Report contents and presentation
Source: Rubin and Chisnell
46. Recruiting users
Recruit internally or outsource to agency?
Sources of test candidates
Your own company’s list of existing customers
Referrals from sales and marketing
Advertising on Craigslist
Company’s web site or blog
Societies and Associations
48. Task types
First impression questions
What is your impression of this home page or
application?
Exploratory task
Open-ended / research-oriented
e.g. Find a cellular phone plan for yourself
Directed tasks
Specific / answer-oriented
e.g. Find contact information for customer support
49. Metrics
Task success
Task time
Errors
Efficiency
Number of steps required to perform a task
Self-reported metrics
Likert
scale
Do you prefer A or B?
Questionnaires
50. Prepare the prototype
Freeze code one week prior to test
Run through the scenarios
Dry run prior to test week
52. Test moderator conduct
Put the participants at ease
Give participants time to work through hindrances
Offer appropriate encouragement
Ask non-leading questions
53. Observe user behavior
Listen to user feedback
Facilitator stays quiet, observes, take notes
Test one user at a time
Mainly qualitative
54. Debriefing
Exploring and reviewing the participant’s actions
during the test
Goal – understand why every error, difficulty and
omission occurred for every participant for every
session.
Debrief with observers too.
56. Contact information
If you have any questions regarding this presentation or usability
testing, please feel free to contact me.
linkedin.com/in/elizabethsnowdon
@elizSnowdon
Email: eliz.snowdon@gmail.com
Web: elizabethsnowdon.ca
57. References
Tullis, Albert (2009), Measuring the User Experience .
Rubin, Chisnell (2008), Handbook of Usability Testing.
Usability.gov http://www.usability.gov/
Jakob Nielsen http://www.useit.com/
Usability Professionals Association http://www.upassoc.org/
Jeff Sauro – Quantitative Usability http://www.measuringusability.com/calc.php
STC usability site http://www.stcsig.org/usability/
Warfel, Todd Zaki (2009), Prototyping
Nielsen, Jakob, and Landauer, Thomas K.: "A mathematical model of the finding of
usability problems," Proceedings of ACM INTERCHI'93 Conference (Amsterdam, The
Netherlands, 24-29 April 1993), pp. 206-213.