Handbook of Usability Testing: How to Plan, Design, and Conduct Effective Tests

Whether it's software, a cell phone, or a refrigerator, your customer wants - no, expects - your product to be easy to use. This fully revised handbook provides clear, step-by-step guidelines to help you test your product for usability. Completely updated with current industry best practices, it can give you that all-important marketplace advantage: products that perform the way users expect. You'll learn to recognize factors that limit usability, decide where testing should occur, set up a test plan to assess goals for your product's usability, and more.

Table of Contents:
Acknowledgments xi Foreword xxix Preface to the Second Edition xxxiii Part One Usability Testing: An Overview Chapter 1 What Makes Something Usable? 3 What Do We Mean by ‘‘Usable’’? 4 What Makes Something Less Usable? 6 WhatMakes Products MoreUsable? 12 What Are Techniques for Building in Usability? 16 Chapter 2 What Is Usability Testing? 21 Why Test? Goals of Testing 21 Basics of the Methodology 23 Chapter 3 When Should You Test? 27 Our Types of Tests: An Overview 27 Exploratory or Formative Study 29 Assessment or Summative Test 34 Validation or Verification Test 35 Overview of the Methodology 36 Comparison Test 37 Iterative Testing: Test Types through the Lifecycle 39 Chapter 4 Skills for Test Moderators 45 Characteristics of a Good Test Moderator 48 Getting the Most out of Your Participants 52 Troubleshooting Typical Moderating Problems 56 How to Improve Your Session-Moderating Skills 58 Part Two The Process for Conducting a Test Chapter 5 Develop the Test Plan 65 Why Create a Test Plan? 65 The Parts of a Test Plan 67 Sample Test Plan 91 Chapter 6 Set Up a Testing Environment 93 Decide on a Location and Space 94 Recommended Testing Environment: Minimalist Portable Lab 110 Gather and Check Equipment, Artifacts, and Tools 111 Identify Co-Researchers, Assistants, and Observers 112 Chapter 7 Find and Select Participants 115 Characterize Users 115 Define the Criteria for Each User Group 119 Determine the Number of Participants to Test 125 Write the Screening Questionnaire 126 Find Sources of Participants 131 Screen and Select Participants 143 Schedule and Confirm Participants 148 Chapter 8 Prepare Test Materials 153 Guidelines for Observers 154 Orientation Script 155 Background Questionnaire 162 Data Collection Tools 165 Nondisclosures, Consent Forms, and Recording Waivers 173 Pre-Test Questionnaires and Interviews 174 Prototypes or Products to Test 181 Task Scenarios 182 Optional Training Materials 187 Use the Research Questions(s) from the Test Plan as the Basis for Your Content 193 Common Question Formats 197 Debriefing Guide 199 Chapter 9 Conduct the Test Sessions 201 Guidelines for Moderating Test Sessions 202 Checklists for Getting Ready 213 When to Intervene 225 What Not to Say to Participants 227 Chapter 10 Debrief the Participant and Observers 229 Why Review with Participants and Observers? 229 Techniques for Reviewing with Participants 230 Where to Hold the Participant Debriefing Session 231 Basic Debriefing Guidelines 231 Advanced Debriefing Guidelines and Techniques 235 Reviewing and Reaching Consensus with Observers 241 Chapter 11 Analyze Data and Observations 245 Compile Data 246 Summarize Data 249 Analyze Data 258 Chapter 12 Report Findings and Recommendations 269 What Is a Finding? 269 Shape the Findings 269 Draft the Report 271 Develop Recommendations 277 Refine the Report Format 283 Create a Highlights Video or Presentation 283 Part Three Advanced Techniques Chapter 13 Variations on the Basic Method 293 Who? Testing with Special Populations 293 What: Prototypes versus Real Products 299 How? Techniques for Monitored Tests 302 Where? Testing Outside a Lab 309 Self-Reporting (Surveys, Diary Studies) 313 Chapter 14 Expanding from Usability Testing to Designing the User Experience 315 Stealth Mode: Establish Value 316 Build on Successes 322 Formalize Processes and Practices 323 Expand UCD throughout the Organization 328 Afterword 333 Index 335