Labs/Ubiquity/Usability/Usability Testing/How To
This is rough "as hell".
To-Do:
- Software setup
- Getting participants
- Analysis
Designing the Test
Test Types
Exploratory
Sudo-Scientific
Strict Scientific
Prototype Type
Paper
Wire-frame
In order of least PITA to high PITA.
- Omnigraffle
- Pencil
- SVG
- Fireworks
- Photoshop
Full-blown
Dealing with participants
Recruitment
Breifing
Framing and Social Proofing
You don't really need to read the recommendations below, but it makes in the field recruiting much more useful.
While both of these topics deserve full pages of their own, a simple explanation of both is needed in the short term.
Framing
Framing- this is how Obama and Bush won. They framed the issues in a way that there were a water fall of meaning from everything they did. They were able to control the frame of the national conversation and thus the metaphors by which people understood them. What does compassionate conservatism mean? Wouldn't Hilary bring about change as well? Etc.
This may seem basic, and it is. Partial Birth Abortion isn't real, in a historical or technical sense. Yet, there it is, and it is a very powerful frame to invoke the killing of a live baby as opposed to stopping a biological process inside of a woman.
However, depth of the understanding and how to manipulate this fundamental cognitive construct is deep and much better understood now. Take all the polling, all the focus groups, and market analysis- and take it to a whole new level. That is what cognitive psychologists (lead my Lackoff) have done.
In the context of usability testing calling the user a participant or subject creates a frame that we are testing the user not the product. This leads to skewing the users actual usage patterns. This is often multiplied by the caliber of a usability testing lab and the size of the audience. In recent years many have abandoned the lab and now test in as low key a setting as possible with as few people as possible or even remotely via the users computer and some webcam/screen capture software. To go a step further I revised the title of the researcher to facilitator and the title of the user to tester. These might not lead to the most grammatically correct sentences but it does reduce the skewing users introduce.
- Wikpedia article on framing
Social Proofing/Social Value Theory
Social proofing arose partially from Social Theory but was largely created by sales people and evolutionary psychologists studying how to influence others and what makes certian people higher in the social ranking.
Very simply, there is a strategic plan and some tactics on how rearrange how to introduce oneself and how to convince people to do things for you. It largly rests on ensuring the enjoyment of the social interaction between them.
This makes people more receptive to frames that are introduced and role-playing.
In the context of usability it turns the session into a chore that is interrupting their activity to an interesting, fun thing to do. It makes the user better able to assume the role of a tester and also allows the facilitator to recruit the user into bad mouthing the software if it would help the facilitator. (I have a bet with one of the developers, etc)
To do so dress nicely, whatever makes you look like a relaxed, confident person. I wear a motorcycle jacket that significantly bulks me up, and a beret with a pin on it for attention. Talk about how cool your job is and how incredibly powerful/awesome the company you are working for is (this is how actors get laid).
Talk with others, even if you don't know them. A smile and quick interaction helps improves your social value.
- Smile (especially during the introduction)
- Put in a time constraint (lie) after the introduction, "I only have a minute, I have to get back to editing video"
- Sit in a relaxed asymmetrical position
- Use the person's name when talking to them, "Heather, could you do X for me" or oh this is good stuff, heather."
- Eye Contact!
DON'T OFFER T-SHIRTS, DRINKS, MONEY, ETC. Then they are doing you a favor instead of them being cool enough to do something with you. Seriously, if you beg it turns into a crappy session. See sessions 9 and 11 vs 5, 6, 7, and 8.