Project Assignment 21 – Usability Testing Practice

For this assignment you will practice the usability test with your UX cosultants/graduate students.

Reading List

Prepare for this assignment by reading:

Assignment Description

Usability Test Practice

Depending on conditions, the usability tests will be the in-lab or conducted remotely via Zoom. The usability testing practice will conducted slightly differently. But for either testing medium, there are common aspects for usability test practicing.

Common Aspects for Usability Test Practice

Because I cannot effectively observe all the practice usability test sessions in a single class meeting, I will email the class a scheduled for UX consultants’ practice test sessions.

Before the usability test practice, you should:

  1. read the UX consultant’s usability test plan.
  2. get emails from your UX consultants/graduate students reminding you of the practice session and the roles you will assume during the practice.

There not much time during the class time to organized and practice the test, so all students should arrive promptly. The UX consultant/graduate students should gather their team and organize the practice testing. During the usability test practice, I will visit the different teams, and give feedback. You may also give feedback.

Details for Remote Usability Test Practice

If we are conducting usability tests remotely, I assume that the Zoom conferencing software will bu used for the tests.

Before the Testing Session:

  1. You should read the UX consultant Usability Test Plan.
  2. You should receive an email Zoom invites from your UX consultants the Sunday the week before the practice usability testing. I will  need time to record and organize the Zoom invites.
  3. The first part of the email should be the exact email that the UX consultants intends to send to the participants. The remaining part of the email should list the assignment of roles for the team members including the participant role. Because will be several practice sessions during the class hour, there should be several lists of role assignments.

During the Testing Session:

  1. The UX consultant should start the Zoom meeting before their assigned class hour. 
  2. You, the developers/undergraduate students, should join their meetings promptly at the class hour.
  3. After the UX consultant has organized your development teams, you should begin practicing the usability test following the test plans.
  4. After a practice session, spend a little time evaluating the testing procedure and giving feedback to the UX consultant.
  5. Repeat practicing the usability test and evaluating the testing.

During the practice usability test sessions, I will attend and observe all the zoom meetings simultaneously.  Naturally, I’m not capable of observing in detail and evaluating all practice usability test sessions simultaneously. I expect to use two computers. On one computer, I will attend and visually observe all the testing sessions simultaneously. On the other computer, I will listen and observe a single practice test session and offer feedback to the team and UX consultants.  Naturally, it will take time for me to offer feedback to all the UX consultants, so keep practicing the entire class hour.  Besides, more practicing will improve your usability test.

Details for In-Lab Usability Test Practice

If we are conducting usability tests remotely, we will meet in our classroom. I expect that we will need additional space, so I hope to have reserved additional rooms.

Before the Testing Session:

  1. You should read the UX consultant Usability Test Plan.
  2. You should receive an email from your UX consultants reminding you of the usability test practice session the Sunday the day before the practice usability testing.
  3. The first part of the email should be the exact email the UX consultant intends to send to the participants. The remaining part of the email should list the assignment of roles for the team members including the participant role. Because you will have several practice sessions during the class hour, there should be several lists of role assignments.

During the Testing Session:

  1. The UX consultant should arrive promptly for class. 
  2. The developers/undergraduate students should also arrive promptly for class.
  3. Gather with your UX consultant.
  4. I will assign you and your team a practice area.
  5. After briefly organizing your development teams, you should begin practicing the usability test following the test plans.
  6. After a practice session, give the UX consultant feedback on the testing.
  7. Repeat practicing the usability test and evaluating the testing.

During the practice usability test sessions, I will visit each team and observe their practice. I will offer feedback to the team and you, the UX consultant.  Naturally, it will take time for me to offer feedback to all the UX consultants, so keep practicing the entire class hour.  Besides, more practicing will improve your usability test.

Submit on Canvas and Due Date

There is nothing to submit on Canvas

Grading Rubric

I will evaluate this assignment by attendance and appropriateness of your feedback to your UX Consultants/graduate students.

Prepare for Next Assignment

In your next assignment you will assist with UX consultants/graduate students during the usability test. Prepare by reading: