Why take this course?
Rich functionality is worth little if the user can’t access it. Progressive testing of Web sites and software applications is critical for creating user centered designs.
This Practical Usability Testing training course provides quick and practical testing techniques that you can use to help move the design into compliance with the users’ needs, limitations, mental models and cognitive styles. This two-day comprehensive course gives designers and developers tools and techniques to observe how users experience their interfaces. You will learn essential testing techniques ranging from simple paper prototype tests to cutting-edge remote testing using advanced tool sets, so that you can successfully moderate your usability tests.
What you’ll learn
- How to design, analyze, and present results of tests
- Refine your facilitation technique
- Remote testing
- Comparison tests
- How to use server logs for usability
Course Objectives
Participants will learn to:
- Survey the scope of usability issues
- Know the four factors that drive your testing
- Know the appropriate test and when to use it
- Learn tests that uncover problems with content organization, task flow, and brand strategy
- Conduct performance-based tests using paperand functioning prototypes
- Review advanced prototype testing that adds precision to your performance measures
- Design and conduct a remote test
- Learn to analyze Web traffic logs
- Review a 10-point checklist of the critical components of a successful usability test plan
1. Introduction
- The purpose of usability testing
- Usability testing is an essential form of feedback
- Why testing is critical
- Why even good designers get it wrong the first time
- Benefits of testing early and often
Exercise: Conduct a mini-usability test on a Web site
2. Designing a Usability Test
- Types of usability tests
- Summative vs. formative tests
- How to formulate a solid test strategy
- The right number of participants
- Writing tasks for a usability test
- Overview of the testing process
• planning
• conducting
• analyzing
• sharing & implementing results
Exercise: Develop task wording for a usability test
3. Early Prototype Testing
- What can you gain from an early prototype test
- Purpose and advantages of prototypes
- Reverse card-sort technique
- Performance-based testing
- Testing the brand and affordance
Exercise: Hands-on exercise performing an early prototype test
Exercise: Visual affordance test
Exercise: Brand design test
Exercise: Reverse card sort
4. Advanced Prototype Testing
- What can you gain from an advanced prototype test?
- Setting usability criteria and performance metrics
- Using performance rating instruments
Exercise: Hands-on exercise performing an advanced prototype test
5. Analysis and Reporting
- Capturing session data
- Compiling and tabulating data
- Analyzing findings
- Creating recommendations
- Presenting data
- Techniques to convince
Exercise: Prioritize test findings
6. Remote Testing
- When to do remote testing
- Major obstacles to overcome
- Real benefits
- Available online tools
Exercise: Performing unmoderated and moderate dremote tests
7. Comparative Studies
- Purpose of comparison studies
- Overview of how to conduct a within-subjects andbetween-subjects comparison study
- How to analyze results from a comparison study
8. Live Site Analysis
- How to make the most out of Web logs and server data
- Taking advantage of direct user feedback
9. Refining your Technique
- Enhancing your moderating techniques
- Responding to difficult testing situations
- What makes a good moderator
Exercise: Rewriting probing usability testing questions
10. Ten-Point Usability Checklist
- Practical points for conducting a usability test
- Allows you to:
• eliminate the risk of testing and not getting answers to your questions
• focus on the question and not the implementation of the test
• maximize your effort and leverage your budget
Exercise: UT scoping
Case problem using the 10-point checklist