Usability Principles and Testing in Singapore

Usability testing of existing products is designed to identify problems that users are experiencing with the use of the product, resulting in an optimized solution that ultimately increases the usability of the product. If the availability of the product can be divided into three grades: available, easy to use and fun. Then there is a progressive relationship between the three grades, “available” on behalf of the product to meet user needs; “easy to use” on behalf of the product not only to meet user needs but also easy to understand, users with existing experience and simple prompt will be able to use the product freely; then “pleasant” represents the product is not only easy to use, the user can also use the process of emotional good experience, such as sense of accomplishment, emotional resonance, unexpected surprises, moving and happy. The purpose of the usability test is to allow users to use the product from the available to easy to use, it is best to achieve music.

It is difficult for the product to reach the level of “fun”, and the product designer must deeply understand the user’s needs and application scenarios, overcome the difficulties such as technology and technology, and bring the touching experience to the users with the “supernatural power”. Imagine people riding for the first time 100 years ago, the feelings of the first ride in the Ford Motor Company, and then think of people who have been using the command line interface for the first time to see Apple Macintosh computer, the first time using the graphical interface feel that Should be “fun” experience. Although “music” is difficult to achieve, “easy to use” can still be achieved. “Available” but hard-to-find products are ubiquitous in our daily lives, and we may often complain “Who is so stupid and actually designed to look like this?” If we can make our products reach the level of ease of use, the world can complain less and become more friendly.

Speaking of product availability, we can not fail to mention Nielsen’s top ten usability principles. These ten principles not only provide guidance at design time but also inspire you in the testing process. There are many versions of the Nielsen usability guidelines, and I’m too lazy to verify which one is the most authentic. I have a version here, I think it is very practical, more reliable:

Nielsen usability guidelines

This usability principle was originally designed for “heuristics,” and I think the same applies to usability testing. This diagram groups the ten principles by understanding (product), operation (user), and feedback (product).

Understand, the three principles in this group, from the point of view of product delivery to user information, help users understand the product and quickly form the right mental model:

1. Consistency, in terms of colour, copywriting, components and operations Way to maintain unity. The same does not require reason, different words need special reasons, why not the same? How often do you ask for a different design?
2. Use familiar metaphors (language), using familiar user-friendly design language and industry-proven design specifications to convey the intent to deliver the product. Cautious innovation, do not be unconventional. If your “innovation” can not achieve breakthrough results, or there is no sufficient reason, it is not shameful to honestly and properly use the existing design specifications. This can reduce the user’s learning costs, so that users from the use of other products in the process of forming the concept of the new products still apply;
3. Concise, functional design (clean, functional design), the form of follow-up function, the form of functional decisions, Form and function of unity. Concise, functional design helps form the affordance of the product itself, allowing users to understand how to interact with the product as it looks at the structure or interface of the product. Unnecessary decorations, or noisy information can mislead or disrupt users, creating cognitive stress and burdens.

Operation, this set of three principles from the user interaction between the product and the product point of view, is conducive to users to use the product smoothly:

1. Freedom (freedom), gives the user a sense of control, do not force the user to the user to choose and The right to make a decision. “It has to be done,” and it would be rude to convey such information to the product, making the user objectionable and exclusive.
2. Flexible and efficient (flexibility), the number of intermediate users is much higher than the number of primary and advanced users. Designed for most users, do not underestimate, remain flexible and efficient.
3. Recognition rather than recall (recognition over recall), human long-term memory is flawed and unreliable. Use the product to avoid the user needs to recall some of the past information, even if the previous interface information can not. The current user to complete the task required information provided to users in a timely manner, to reduce the user’s cognitive burden.

Feedback, the four principles of this set of products from the user’s operation to give users feedback on the user-perceived results:

1. Show state, real-time tell the user where the current position. For the time-consuming task, to what extent. Reduce user anxiety and worry. Timely feedback does not depend entirely on the performance of the product but the design should do it.
2. prevent errors, for the use of mistakes, the user will subconscious self-blame. But more fact is the design loophole led to the user may make mistakes. More consider the product anomalies, the border situation, consider more possibilities. Efficient use of various constraints to prevent users from making mistakes.
3. Error correction, sometimes mistakes inevitable, then try to minimize the negative impact of the error. Users in the process of exploring the product will inevitably make mistakes, if you want to encourage users to try, we must try to avoid the design level risk and cost. Allow users to easily return to the previous state, before returning to the wrong, such as iphone’s home key.
4. provide help, this is the last line of defense of usability. When the user is overwhelmed give appropriate help, tips to help users complete the task. Such as the first use of the wizard, after the revision function module location tips after moving, or a common problem guide.

Taking into account the above ten aspects during the product design stage, there is theoretically no problem in usability. In theory, the theory is the same as it is in practice. In fact, it is often different. It is also necessary to test the usability of real users under real usage scenarios. The following summarizes the key steps in the usability testing processand the issues that need attention:

1 clear the purpose of the test, the test is to find the user exposed the serious problems in the actual use.

2. Set the key tasks, the user in the testing process to complete what tasks? Different types of users may have to complete different tasks. These tasks are to verify what the predicate problem? Or just test the product’s main task.
3. Sort the problem script, the user needs to answer what questions after completing the test? What is the user thinking of the mission? What factors lead to the user cannot be normal tasks or the use of ambiguity?
4. Select test users and group them from different dimensions (new user, gender, age, the frequency of purchase, group purchase, …). Appoint users, arrange test site and test time.
5. Record (video, audio recording) to observe the process of using the product, and the completion of the task. Question the user according to the question script, and adjust the question appropriately according to the actual situation.
6. Organize and analyze the test results to find the commonness of the problems and the severity of the impact on usability. The discussion resulted in an optimization plan for these issues, which ultimately resulted in a usability test report.
7. The testing process and reports to product stakeholders and discuss program solutions, the final implementation of the program to achieve the purpose of improving product availability.

It is said that when 5 to 8 user tests are completed, the problems affecting the usability of the product can be completely exposed. The process of testing to ensure objectivity, because before the test, the product and the designer will have a pre-judgment of the product may exist problems, so do not ask users to ask questions. These prejudices should not be allowed to affect the objectivity of the test. The purpose of the test is to identify the problem rather than verify the problem. The test results often make you unexpected, this is the value of the test.

Author: big fish

Link: https://www.jianshu.com/p/4057aeb77bff

Source: Jane book

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read more: http://whatisuserexperience.blogspot.com/2018/01/usability-testing-methods-in-singapore.html