How to do effective usability testing in Singapore？

In the user experience, from the perspective of the user to do usability testing, is the most can achieve the effect, so when doing the usability testing, himself as the most direct users to do usability testing.c

List the tasks and sort them

This is the first step in the usability testing, you need according to the features of the product list need test task, after the list back and function comparison, see a list of tasks to be covered the need to test all functions. For example, the tasks listed are as follows:

Send a text message

Check out a text message and find the details of the text message.

Delete a text message

In sorting, testing tasks listed in the next test task order to conform to the typical user’s typical behavior, or in the text, for example, the general operation flow of text is, open the message – check the SMS – delete messages. The sequence of test tasks also needs to follow such behavior.

Design test task

Design test task is the most important step in the process of usability testing, the rationality of the task description will directly affect the authenticity of the test results, so how to design test task? The following is a test task description for example:

Send a text

Description: today is your mother’s birthday, you want to send her a message to express your blessing.

Check out a text message and find the details of the text message

Description: your mother sent you a short message yesterday but you didn’t see it. Now you want to find that text and see when it was sent to you.

3. Delete a text message:

Description: your inbox is so full that you need to delete some spam messages.

A few points to note when designing tasks:

Understand the needs of users and the demand of the scene: when designing tests tasks must first understand the needs of users and demand scenarios, in this way can you designed task will be to test the user into the actual scene. , for example, a customer often travels to the remote area, the local network condition is very poor, almost don’t have access to your products, so you provide the user with an offline access function. The customer’s need is to access the product in a poor network, and the scene that produces this requirement is that the customer travels frequently to a remote location.

According to demand scenarios to describe testing tasks: describe tasks need to be based on the actual scenarios and requirements to add some drama to a task that drama doesn’t be too complex and repetitive, this will increase the understanding of the tester and the burden of memory.

Design to avoid as far as possible when testing tasks based on the function of task description, or take the example of text messages, if you described “please use this tool sends a text message”, the description doesn’t seem to be an unreasonable place, but in fact it put the focus of the test points to the text on the function, it does not contain the actual scene, cannot reflect the user’s actual needs and goals. Must keep in mind that any requirements are produced in some specific scenarios when designing task you have to take the task to repeatedly ask me, “does this task reflect the goals and needs of real users”.

Don’t include any clues that will lead to user actions in the task: terms in the product, actions, etc., will give the user a clue to the task. “Your mother birthday today, you now open the message to create a new message to send to your mommy, happy birthday to your mother”, “open the message to create a new message” has become a significant task.

Will you think users might be wrong task to do a special mark: why do you do that, because sometimes the user through a do you think is more difficult to understand the task may be due to coincidence, while doing this task by the way, but his understanding may and a far cry from what you design intention, this time you have to ask him why he should do so, he is how to understand it.

Summed up

Design test tasks must seize the “people”, “situation”, “target”, these three elements, the three elements must be reflected in your test task, the final form of description is “who is in what circumstances to do”.

Find the right subject

After good testing tasks in the design, it’s time to go to participate in the test users, many studies have shown that of course, I haven’t studied. Five test users can be found that 80% of usability problems, our company is usually 12 when doing the test, the reason is that we need to put these qualitative-quantitative data into digital, it will help us determine what problem is serious, what problem have to change. This can also effectively avoid the problem of disagreement between teams. If there is no quantified demand, it is enough to suggest five.

What are the appropriate subjects users: if the new products have to be according to the study with creating the persona to find the appropriate user (I haven’t done a complete test of new products, it is not much about. For products that already have a number of users, the tester should be made up of real users and objects that are unfamiliar to the product or non-target users. Why are there users who are unfamiliar with the product and non-target users?

For one thing, there is a surprising consistency in the behavior of people in the general environment, and if you have a serious design problem, you can measure it.

Second, familiar with product users have mastered some behavior of the products, their behavior is completely different from a novice users, in the test these people they can depend on their experience of using the product to overcome some usability problems, so some problems test not to come out, they are not familiar with the target user or not the target user of the product is can make up for this problem. Of course, if the task you are testing must be understood by the professional user of the product, you must find the actual user.

Expand usability testing

1. Resource allocation

If the resource is sufficient, a person will play the role of the person in the test process, a person who plays the record, and if the resource is insufficient, the two roles can be played by one person. The test process must be recorded and recorded, and the test process can be videotaped in the condition of permitting, so as to analyze the user’s behavior. Of course, there are more specialized test tools, such as eye movements, and software that can record user behavior and convert it to thermal power. These tools and software for small and medium-sized companies are generally not configured.

2. Adjust the testing atmosphere

Most testers are nervous when taking tests, and they worry that they won’t be able to complete the task. For example, a test was carried out the other day, and he kept saying, “oh, look for me to test, I can’t do it, I’m stupid.” So, the first step of the test is to ease the atmosphere of the test, to eliminate the tension of the test, and you need to show him the purpose of the test.

3. Start testing

In this process, we need to do “one look”, “two records”, “three questions” and “four listen”.

Watch and remember: the whole process requires careful observation of the user’s operation process, and the user has questions, hesitations, and confusion.

Ask and listen: the user through a test task, need to ask him in the process of this task have encountered difficult to understand, if you have, why need to ask the user to understand, how did he finally understood. Somewhere if you look to the user in the hesitation, why need to ask the user to falter, for example, “I just saw you hesitate for a long time when click send text messages, why do you hesitate?” here. In the process, you need to listen carefully to the user’s opinions and confirm the user’s proposal, which will give him a sense of accomplishment that will help the next test.

Problems needing attention during testing:

If the user has something to say in the test, ask him to express it. If he is too articulate, he needs to stop it properly and let him go back to the test task.

Identify user emotions and terminate the task when the user is unable to complete the task

Don’t use any means (gestures, facial expressions, language, etc.) to show that the user is making a mistake or operating too slowly and needs to understand that it’s not his fault, it’s your design.

Try not to help users when they are in trouble, and encourage users appropriately, such as “you can try”.

Why ask the user a few more, such as “why do you just operation”, “why do you understand?” and so on, more standing in the user’s perspective to think about problems, finally the availability of test results will be more live up to expectations.

read more；http://gofishtalk.com/profiles/blogs/user-interface-design-basics-in-singapore