Phone Physics: Test and Refine

Learning Goals

1. Plan improvements to a prototype based on feedback from test users.

User Experience

Even the most useful application will not be successful without great consideration for the end user. Now that the groups have a working prototype we will ask them to have other groups act as test users for usability testing. Based on the user feedback they will be asked to program and document at least two optimizations to their application's user experience.

Introduction (5-10 min budget)

The instructor will facilitate a brief discussion about test users.

• • Who is the ideal test subject?

  • Should we seek test users that are not familiar with the assignment?

Activity 1

Student groups will need to develop a usability testing feedback form. They should do research on usability testing and decide what types of questions they need to ask and the best way to solicit feedback, such as using a five-point scale and/or allowing free-response answers, among others. It should be thorough enough to allow for enough useful feedback but also succinct enough to not be burdensome to the beta tester.

Sample web research result: 12 Usability Testing Templates

Activity 2

Student groups are paired up to allow the other group to test the user experience and provide feedback. After 10-15 minutes groups are rotated so that each group obtains at least two sets of group user feedback. Each group will need at least two user feedback forms in order to complete the next activity.

Depending on how in depth you might ask the students go and as time allows you may have them test their applications on subjects unfamiliar with the task. It doesn't need to be complicated, they might use a family member or perhaps a student that isn't taking this course. They should use the same user feedback form to collect their data.

Activity 1

Student groups will document their changes to their application by using a before and after comparison so it is recommended that they make a copy of their project in App Inventor and make their changes and upgrades to Version 2 while preserving Version 1 as is.

Groups will take the user feedback forms to develop improvements for their application. User feedback will be classified into two major categories: user need (+2) or user want (+0). Once categorized each improvement should be prioritized as: critical (+2), important (+1), or low priority (+0). The group should then focus their work to make improvements to at least the two highest scoring feedback suggestions.