[Brew City UX] Lean Usability Testing for Teams

Usability testing is a critical step in creating a successful product. However, we may find ourselves hitting roadblocks when trying to do it. “UX doesn’t have enough time to create the design AND test the product,” and “we don’t want to test too early in the process,” are both excuses we’ve used or heard for not doing usability testing. One solution? Lean usability testing.

Lean usability testing introduces lean UX principles — testing early and often, reducing waste and collaboration, to name a few — to the traditional usability testing process. We’ll explore the value behind going lean and explain what a sample lean usability test looks like. We'll lay out a plan for how to facilitate your own usability tests and discover why it’s important to include your team and stakeholders in the process. If you're not doing usability testing now, this talk will help get you started without the need for a big budget or fancy usability lab.

Transcript

1. LEAN USABILITY TESTING FOR TEAMS
2. WHY DOESN’T IT HAPPEN?
3. TESTING IS HARD We don’t have the time. We don’t have the resources. We can’t afford to change what’s done. We’re scared of what users will say.
4. UX RESPONSIBILITIES User Research Information Architecture Content Strategy Interaction Design Visual Design Prototyping Front-End Development Usability Testing
5. IN A PERFECT WORLD… You get to use a badass testing facility.
6. IN REALITY…
7. IN A PERFECT WORLD… Users are plentiful and easy to find.
8. IN REALITY…
9. IN A PERFECT WORLD… Everything goes smoothly and your participants know exactly what to expect.
10. IN REALITY…
11. THIS IS HARD
12. LEAN USABILITY TESTING
14. KEY BENEFITS Easy prep work Small sample size Entire team involved User’s current environment
15. DIY guide to finding and fixing usability problems
16. BREAKING IT DOWN
17. PICK A FEATURE
18. PICK A FEATURE Choose a feature that needs validation. Doesn’t have to be complete to be tested. Focus on a specific workflow.
19. FIND USERS
20. FIND USERS Match your personas as closely as possible. No matches? Others can be used for baseline usability. Sweet spot is 3-5 users.
21. Elaborate usability tests are a waste of resources. The best results come from testing no more than 5 users and running as many small tests as you can afford. Jakob Nielsen
22. ORGANIZE TEAM & STAKEHOLDERS
23. ORGANIZE TEAM & STAKEHOLDERS Clearly define each person’s role. Remind team why they should care. Set expectations of the day ahead of time.
24. CHOOSE DATE & LOCATION
25. CHOOSE DATE & LOCATION Try to replicate conditions that user is familiar with. Provide an incentive for team and/or users. Plan for breaks in the process.
26. USABILITY TEST
27. USABILITY TEST Brief participants before each session. Don’t ask for design opinions. Don’t ask leading questions. Know when to move on.
28. DEBRIEF
29. DEBRIEF Each observer should debrief individually. Make note of any observed confusion or issues. Narrow down to top 3 usability issues per user.
30. REPEAT
31. TEAM DEBRIEF
32. TEAM DEBRIEF Compare notes as a team. Be open to the team’s observations. Issues are the fault of the design, not the user.
33. PRIORITIZE FEEDBACK
34. PRIORITIZE FEEDBACK Identify quick wins. Weigh the needs of the user vs. the business. You don’t have to solution during this meeting.
35. GAME PLAN
36. GAME PLAN Wrap up the session. Facilitate a retrospective. Plan the next usability test.
38. LET’S REVIEW
39. SPRINT 4 BACKLOG Hook up login API Create login screen Data migration Support for import Create export API
40. USER 1 USER 2 USER 3
41. HALL MONITOR NOTE TAKER FACILITATOR OBSERVERS USER 1 USER 2 USER 3
43. Show me how you would log in to an administrator account. Think aloud.  
44. USER 1 OBSERVATIONS Tried to log in as regular user Wasn’t sure if he should log in with username or email address Was confused by the error message when login information was incorrect Made a comment about using active directory as universal login
45. OVERALL USER OBSERVATIONS Tried to log in as regular user Wasn’t sure if he should log in with username or email address Was confused by the error message when login information was incorrect Made a comment about using active directory as universal login
46. OVERALL USER OBSERVATIONS Tried to log in as regular user Wasn’t sure if he should log in with username or email address Was confused by the error message when login information was incorrect Didn’t check the ‘Remember Me’ box
47. This went really well… We should try this next time…
48. WE DID IT!
49. CONVINCE YOUR TEAM (& BOSS)
50. THE ART OF PERSUASION Start small. Facilitate frequent retrospectives. Keep focus on the team value.
51. ROCKET SURGERY MADE EASY www.sensible.com > Downloads Usability Test Script Checklists Instructions for Observers Demo Test Videos
52. SUMMING IT UP Start small. Iterate on the process. Advocate for your users.
53. DISCUSSION
54. WHAT DO YOU DO? What does your usability testing look like? What issues have you run into? Why don’t you do usability testing?