Usability Testing as Design Research

A presentation given to WVU University Relations' Professional Technologist Co-Hort about why web designers should be conducting usability testing, and how to start to do so.

Transcript

1. Usability Testing as Design Research
2. http://cache.reelz.com/assets/content/repFrame/58917/multiRolesHtt.jpg Some Call Me Tim
3. Art/Design Graphic Design Animation Multimedia Design Social Media & Web Design Instructional Design & Web Development UI/UX Designer Front-End Development 2000 2003 2008      
4. I thought you were a Professional Technologist? UI/UX Designer for WVU Libraries? Say what?!?
5. Lead Mobile Front End Design Strategist Chief Mobile GUI Researcher Middleweight User Centered Design Developer Black Belt Interaction Architect Senior IxD Expert Principal Front End Design Technologist Junior Human Factors Manager Chief Information Hero Head Content Unicorn Heavyweight GUI Extraordinaire { http://www.aaronweyenberg.com/uxgenerator/ Hey, Titles Are Titles!
6. + UX Designer • Conducting usability tests • Face-to-face interviews • Field research • Creating user personas • Studying detailed analytics • Prototyping Experiences UI Designer • Interface layout • Interface design • Visual design • Interaction design • Establishing visual guidelines https://www.usertesting.com/blog/2014/11/10/dont-hire-ui-ux-designer/ But Seriously...
7. http://alistapart.com/article/usability-testing-demystified “Every time a person has a great experience with a website, a web app, a gadget, or a service, it’s because a design team made excellent decisions about both design and implementation—decisions based on data about how people use designs. And how can you get that data? Usability testing.” Usability Testing Demystified, A List Apart by Dana Chisnell
8. What is Usability Testing? Usability Testing is just a type of Design Research...
9. Qualitative Research Answers “why” and “how” Quantitative Research Answers “how much” and “how many” Peer/Visual Research Answers “what are others doing” https://www.slideshare.net/secret/b1eaHjusqSn43K
10. It’s Important to Note Design Research Isn’t Marketing Research https://www.slideshare.net/secret/b1eaHjusqSn43K
11. http://www.usability.gov/how-to-and-tools/methods/usability-testing.html ...and the Benefits of Usability Testing Far Outweigh Those of Other Design Research Methods: • Learn if participants are able to complete specified tasks successfully and • Identify how long it takes to complete specified tasks • Find out how satisfied participants are with your Web site or other product • Identify changes required to improve user performance and satisfaction • And analyze the performance to see if it meets your usability objectives
12. Have You Ever Watched A User Try To Use Your Website? https://twitter.com/DesignUXUI/status/576432203560685568
13. “Pay Attention To What Users Do, Not What They Say.” -Jakob Nielsen, Nielsen Norman Group
14. So, I Work Here
15. <meta name=”keywords” content=”WVU Libraries, Library, Evansdale Library, Downtown Library, HSC Library, Mountainlynx, Databases, eJournals, Course Reserves, Research Help”> <meta name=”description” content=”The WVU Libraries encompass 8 libraries and their collections, host 30 digital collections, offer courses, and provide research help to students, faculty, & staff.”>
16. < What We Do: Service • Websites - WVU Libraries - West Virginia & Regional History Center - Art in the Libraries - Electronic Thesis & Dissertations - Open Access Textbooks (coming soon)... • Digital Collections - Storer College Digital Collections - Pearl S. Buck Digital Collection - Pierpont Cival War Telegrams... • WebApplications - Databases - Room Reservation - Collections - eJournals... • Integrate 3rd Party Apps...
17. < • Ask A Librarian • Crazy Egg • EZProxy Data • Google Analytics • Office of the University Registrar Data • Qualtrics Surveys • PageFair • QR Code Generator • Server Statistics • ShareThis • SiteImprove • Student Services • Summon Results • Wave • WebApp User Data ...and more... Design Research We Use + and -
18. Design Research Informs Our In-House Usability Testing Design Research What Should We Test?
19. We Don’t Rely On Out-House Usability Testing (AKA Peek, Five Second Test, UserFeel, etc.) Instead, we asked ourselves: 1. Is the site you want to test relevant to the “random” participant? 2. Are the participant’s answers reliable / representative? http://peek.usertesting.com/result/957593343602 3. How is task success measured? (Or is there a task?) 4. If we can’t get a really specific usability tests, or we have to pay a lot of money to get great usability test, why are we not doing this ourselves or hiring a position? https://copyhackers.com/2014/03/get-peek-sites-usability-review/ I like the colors!
20. So Knowing That Our Primary Target Audience Is: 73%*of WVU Libraries users are undergraduate students who are 48% female or 52% male, are primarily Caucasian, African American, Hispanic, or Asian in ethnicity, are United States citizens or are international students, are 21 years in their average age, and are 49% from the state of West Virginia or 51% from other United States, territories, or countries. Target audience numbers are populated from WVU Data, survey polls, Ask A Librarian, and server statistics.
21. ...And That Our Audience Wanted To Use: ...We Decided To Run Some Tests Target audience numbers are populated from WVU Data, survey polls, Ask A Librarian, and server statistics.
22. Usability Test: Examples of User Tasks If WVU Libraries doesn’t have a specific book, where would you go on the website to request it from another library? https://testing.lib.wvu.edu/usability2/Task2.wmv Reserve a study room at the Downtown Library for a group that has 10 people. http://community.wvu.edu/~twbroadwater/usability3/ t24.wmv Where would you find a book at the Downtown Campus Library with a call number that starts with the letter D? https://testing.lib.wvu.edu/usability2/Task7.wmv Find the business database “MRI MediamarkReporter.” https://testing.lib.wvu.edu/usability2/Task15.wmv Find information about borrowing a laptop from the Downtown Library and the Evansdale Library. https://testing.lib.wvu.edu/usability/Task11.wmv At the Downtown Library, what is the maximum number of hours for one reservation? http://community.wvu.edu/~twbroadwater/usability3/ t32.wmv
23. http://content.moviery.com/89/003089/13.jpg We Can Do Better
24. So, We Made Some Changes... And Re-Tested!
25. 0 0.5 1 1.5 2 2.5 3 Go to the WVU Libraries website. Find today’s hours for Eliza’s Coffee Shop. Where can you find information about the kinds of cameras you can check… Find the database Project Muse. What is the loan period for books for undergraduate students? Where would you find a book at the Downtown Campus Library with a call… See if study room 1028 is available at 5pm tomorrow. Find a peer-reviewed article on global warming. Find information about borrowing a laptop from the Downtown Library and… Where can you find information about how to print in color? I need help writing citations in APA. Can you find Martin Dunlap’s phone number on the WVU Libraries website? Usability Test 2 - Overall Time Usability Test 1 - Overall Time Crossover Tasks: Time Comparisons
26. http://assets3.thrillist.com/v1/image/1483377/size/tmg-facebook_share #winning
27. It’s Simple Really! This Is What You Can Start With For A Low-Budget: Desktop/Laptop Test: • 1 Test Administrator • 1 User • 1 Desktop Computer/Laptop • 1 Screen & Audio Recording Software • 1 Video Camera/Tripod ... For A Mobile/Tablet Test, Add: • Phone-Mounted/Standing Camera
28. 1. Set up the camera/software to record the user’s screen and spoken comments as they complete the testing. Start up the laptop/desktop computer, launch a web browser, and navigate to your webpage/ webapp. 2. Print out a sheet for the test administrator’s use with your tasks/questions. ...And It Took A Little Preparation
29. http://www.wired.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/fast_five01.jpg That’s It!
30. Mr Tappy: https://vimeo.com/37421265 TechSmith Morae https://www.techsmith.com/morae.html This Is What WVU Libraries Uses: ...And We’re Building A Usability Lab.
31. So, If You Are Interested In Usability Testing Here Are 5 Tips:
32. #1. Choose Usability Software Wisely http://kristyhodgson.ca/wp-content/up- loads/2014/11/last_crusade_choose_wisely.jpg TechSmith Morae, Silverback, Ovo Solo, etc.
33. #2. Administrators Must Be Non-Bias http://vignette3.wikia.nocookie.net/harrypotter/images/c/c4/Detention_dolores.jpg/revision/latest?cb=20150824223903 WVU Office of Research Integrity & Compliance - CITI Training Program: Conflict of Interest in Research course and the Social and Behavioral Research Investigators I Must Not Tell Lies
34. #3. Record How A Person Uses A Device http://www.uxmatters.com/mt/archives/2013/02/how-do-users-really-hold-mobile-devices.php Let students use their own devices when possible, Record the thumbs
35. #4. Develop Phrasing Vs. Leading, And Tread Softly When developing questions for the test, be sure that the questions are designed to test the functionality of the website, rather than the individual users’ knowledge of the website. Some users may become frustrated if they can’t find the information they are looking for easily during the test. The test administrator should help put them at ease and assure them that the tests are designed to test the website not them. https://i.ytimg.com/vi/Gi_S2HGpOJA/maxresdefault.jpg #RageQuit
36. #5. Visualize Data... Re-Test, Re-Test, Re-Test https://filmkijker.files.wordpress.com/2011/01/aground1.jpg The real value of usability testing is to see if previously tested tasks have improved: Error Rate, Overall Task Time, Percentage of Success. It’s Groundhog Day!
37. Going Forward Here Are Some Resources: UX Degrees Master of Professional Studies Human-Computer Interaction UX Certificate UX Workshops
38. http://www.everydaynodaysoff.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/Thumbs-And-Ammo-Pulp-Fiction.jpg THANK YOU
39. ...And We’re Hiring A Design Graduate Student: MountaineerTRAK: 32953