User Testing Task
The goal of early user testing is to learn something really useful with not too much work.
The secrets to efficient and effective user testing are:
- Shut up.
- Do little or no talking during a user test.
- Watch, listen, take lots of notes.
- Do everything with written materials.
- Test the testing materials!
You'll be testing your user testing material in a dry run in class. Each team will be the first testers for another team.
Before class, the team needs to:
Links to relevant documents are on Canvas.
User Testing Materials
To understand what materials you need to be ready to user test, read
- these slides on effective user testing, especially slide 6 and on
Then, in the Google User Testing Materials slide set
- Look at the test materials from all the teams in the previous class. Some will be better models for what you need to do than others.
- Update the slides for your team appropriately.
- Don't forget to update the name of your app in the header!
Here are some tips about about each component of the user testing materials.
Pre-test Survey
Keep your pre-test survey short and sweet. Don't scare away potential testers with a lot of questions. Use a few questions to test your guesses about what kinds of people would most want your app. Pick people on both ends of a spectrum. You may believe seasoned travelers will want your touring guide app the most, but it might be novice travelers who see more value.
Product Box
Use your product box to quickly convey what your app is for.
Task Scenario
The scenario is the heart of your user testing. The task scenario gives users a clear, real-world goal, something that they could imagine needing to do.
Do not give instructions on how to use your app to achieve that goal. If users need instructions, you have a bad user interface.
If your first slice is not very interactive, and mostly just shows some information, the scenario should describe what the user is trying to do, and what the user has already done with the app. The user goal in the test is to look at the information and decide what to do next.
Post-test Survey
Use your post-test survey to find out how the app did. Avoid vague useless questions such as "Did you like it?" People always say "kind of." The only real test of that is to end the post-survey with the question, "Would you be willing to test the next version?"
Ask the user what they think the app is did, what confused them, what they would have used instead for this task, etc.
Setting up for Class
To make running the user tests in class as smooth as possible, make it easy for your testers to get to your testing materials and app.
Put the following clickable links into the appropriate columns of the shared Team Project Overview spreadsheet:
- A link to the first of your User Testing Material slides, i.e., the pre-test survey
- A link for viewing your app on their device if possible, to test how portable your app is.
If your app doesn't run on your tester's device, have a device ready for them to use instead.
Your user testers in class should be able to take it from there.
Have at least one designated note taker. More is better. Write down notes on everything your test users click on, comment on, wonder about, etc.
Questions? Ask your team mates. Still unclear? Post questions to Campuswire.