User Testing Guide

Overview

User testing and user experience research is about observing how people interact with media.

Author: Bill Fischer

Low fidelity Testing

The image above shows middle school students engaging in a low fidelity test of a mixed reality design using cardboard prototypes and taped-off spaces. Much can be learned from these types of tests during early design phases. 

Observing

The user experience involves more than just the human / machine interaction. It includes the environment, the user demographics and events directly before and after the test. Photographs are a great way to capture the peripheral user experience. There is also software that can track navigational history and eye movement for one to one interactions with media. Here is a list of observations that should be included in a user test report.

• Name of the Media

• Date of the test

• User Demographics (age, education, occupation, hobbies (if applicable) number tested

• Description of the environment where the test took place (lighting, noise, seating, temperature, etc.)

• Description of the technology used (computers, projectors, displays, devices, etc.)

• Description of events users were engaged in just prior to the test

• Description of the User Experience with the media. Record:

  • Points of hesitation or confusion

  • Questions the user was compelled to ask

  • Emotional reactions at various points (confusion, joy, accomplishment, etc.)

  • Readability / view-ability of the media

• Description of media efficacy (how well was the user able to accomplish the goals of the media)

• Description of user behavior directly after the test

Summarizing

A summary brief should be completed to provide an overview of the most important points to be addressed by the next design phase. here is an example:

"The common theme throughout the interviews was that immersive experiences are critical to the overall quality of the field trip. The negative moments were often the most memorable because they added spontaneity to the experience. Safety is a big concern among teachers and chaperones. Transportation and travel could be frustrating at times depending on the length of time. The smaller the group size, the more effective the field trip is."