Summary: The goals of this investigation are to develop skills for designing, observing, and facilitating a small, informal think-aloud usability study.
Collaboration: You should complete this assignment individually, although you may discuss it with anyone you like. Members of the class will participate in your study.
Due: The writeup is due Tuesday, Feb. 26, 2:15 p.m. The "before class" assignment is due before class on Thursday, Feb. 21.
Citation: This assignment is adapted from one developed by Alan Borning (http://www.cs.washington.edu/education/courses/510/01sp/lab3/assignment.html).
Select a system to test and a short task, similar to the tasks listed on p. 653 of ID, to complete using that system. The system could be a web site, a handheld device, or an application installed on the MathLAN. The system and task should be appropriate to our user population (18- to 23-year-old college students), but you should try to choose a system that will not be too familiar to members of the class.
Walk through the task to ensure it can be completed in a reasonable length of time (no more than 5 minutes).
Write the task on an index card (or type it and print it out). Bring this to class.
At this point, you may begin your writeup:(a) Write a paragraph describing the system and task that you chose. You may wish to include a photograph or screen shot. Why did you choose this site and this task?
During class, you will carry out a think-aloud usability study with three other members of the class. You will facilitate the study by giving the task to the participant and unobtrusively encouraging them to keep talking. You will also take notes on your observations---particularly any problems or frustrations the participant encounters.
Stop if the participant has not completed the task after 5 minutes (and make a note that the task was not completed).
(b) Using your field notes, make a spreadsheet listing the issues encountered by participants. Use ID Table 12.4 (p. 610 - 611) as a model. Please also give the number of participants who encountered each issue.
(c) Briefly characterize the results of the usability study. What issue(s) seemed the most significant? Were there any trends that transcended particular problems? Was the task easier or more difficult than you expected?
(d) Did you discover additional problems by observing the second and third participants? Do you think you would have learned more by observing more participants?
(e) Reflect briefly on your experiences as a participant and as an observer/facilitator. How did you feel? What was most difficult?
Your writeup should include parts (a) - (e). You do not need to submit your notes from the usability studies. I expect your writeup to be 1-3 pages plus the spreadsheet.
Please print your assignment to turn in during class.
This assignment will be worth a total of 30 points: 10 points for the spreadsheet summarizing your observations, and 5 points for each of the other parts. I am looking for thoughtful responses that address each of my questions.
Janet Davis (davisjan@cs.grinnell.edu)
Created February 13, 2007