Usability Testing











Sponsored Links:

This test is often known as "testing to facilitate its implementation. This test is performed if the user interface of the application is an important consideration and must be specific for the particular type of user. Usability testing is the technique of working with finish users directly and indirectly to assess how the user perceives a application package and how they interact with it. This technique will uncover areas of difficulty for users as well as areas of strength.



The objective of usability testing ought to be to limit and eliminate the difficulties for users and areas of influence of the force for maximum profit. This test would ideally include comments from direct users, indirect comments (observed behavior), and when the computer can support feedback. Computer supported feedback is often (not always) outside this technique. Computer supported feedback can be as simple as a timer on a dialog box to control how long it takes people to make use of dialogue and counters to select how often they occur under sure conditions (ie, error messages, help messages , etc.) Often, these are trivial modifications of existing application, but can lead to high return on investment. Ultimately, usability testing ought to produce changes in the product delivered in accordance with the findings in relation to usability. These changes must be directly related to usability in the actual world for average users. To the extent feasible, the documentation ought to be written so that changes in the future, similar situations can be handled basically.

GOALS of usability testing
Usability testing is a system for black box testing. The objective is to observe people using the product to discover errors and areas for improvement. Usability testing is usually used to measure how well test subjects reply in three areas: efficiency, accuracy, memory and emotional response. The results of the first test may be treated as a point of reference or measurement control, all post-tests can then be compared to the reference to show improvement.
* Performance - How much time, and the steps necessary for people to complete basic tasks? (For example, find something to buy, generate a new account and order the item.)
* Accuracy - How plenty of people make mistakes? (And they were deadly or recoverable with the right information?)
* Keep in mind - How much does the person keep in mind afterwards or after periods of no use?
* Emotional Response - How do you feel the person about done tasks? Is the person entrusted stressed? Does the user of this technique to recommend to a mate?

What is usability testing
Basically collect opinions on a subject or research paper market than usability testing. Usability testing is systematic observation under controlled conditions to select how well people can use. than showing users a rough draft and asking, "Do you understand this?" Usability testing involves watching people trying to make use of something for its intended purpose. For example, when testing instructions for assembling a toy, the test subjects ought to be given instructions as well as a box of parts. writing instruction, quality illustration and toy design, influence the assembly technique.

METHODS
The creation of a usability test involves carefully making a realistic scenario or situation in which the person performs a task list with the product being tested while observers watch and take notes. Several other studies instruments, instructions, scripts, paper prototypes and pre-and post-test questionnaires are also used to collect information about the product being tested. For example, to test the function of setting an e mail program, a scenario describes a situation in which a person needs to send an e-mail attachment, and ask them to carryover out this task. The objective is to observe how people in a realistic way so that developers can see the issue areas, and other people. Popular techniques used to collect information in the coursework of a usability test include thinking aloud protocol and eye tracking.
Focus on usability testing, representative users work on typical tasks using the technique (or prototype) and the evaluators use the results to see how the user interface supports users to perform their tasks. They are all a bit familiar with the range of methods that can be used to usability test our products, or even the first designs. But there may be methods over I thought. How plenty of of the following methods you know?

* Interviews / Observations: One-on-one sessions with users. At the finish of the spectrum interview, asking questions about what they do. At the finish of the spectrum of observation, see what they actually do. It is often feasible to perform both types of sessions from the same site visit.
* Focus Groups: Often used in marketing and before there is any kind of prototype or product to test, meeting rooms with several participants of the group of target users.
* Review Group or tour: A facilitator has provided workflow to several participants, that these comments on it.
* Heuristic Review: Using a predefined set of rules, a professional professional usability reviews of another person or a product design and presents a testlist rebranded the designer.
* Walk-Around Review: A duplicate of the design / prototype / wireframe is tacked to the walls, and colleagues are invited to comment on. (Post-it ® Notes are nice for this) also works well when users are around for some other purpose, and this is the only way to get your attention.
* Do-It-Yourself tour: Installing a usability testing situation, but that visitor users. Make models of artifacts, but the realistic scenarios. Walk down the same job.
* Test Paper prototyping: the situations of actual use, but a counterfeit product. If feasible, a colleague of "play" inside the product or application.
* Prototype test: A step up from a paper prototype, it makes use of some kind of prototype animated with realistic scenarios.
* Formal Usability Testing: The use of a stable product, a prototype of animation, or even a paper prototype, proof of a large number of subjects against a variety of controlled scenarios. See how plenty of subjects do I require for a statistically valid study by Daryle Gardner-Bonneau for instructions on how to select when you have issues.)
* Controlled Experiment: Comparison of five products with the statistical equilibrium care, etc. This may be the most difficult system to make "real world" but it is the necessity to publish the results.
* Questionnaires: formal questionnaire, matching questionnaire (sometimes these are similar to a card sorting exercise), the visitor phone. Each of these formats has advantages and disadvantages, with the design of the questionnaire is a proper field.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Really good observation.. Nice post