Since we are in the process I thought this would be a good article to review. Seven Common Usability Testing Mistakes discusses how many usability problems stem from errors in design and organization. The author, Jared M. Spool, travels to work with many companies and has observed theses mistakes regularly. I guess you could say he tested the usability testing process.
1. Do You Know Why you're Testing? This is difficult question to answer. I know we discussed this answer quite a bit when designing our test plan. He discusses that testers often use the tests to determine how users 'feel'. That is not usability, that is user experience. The main focus of the testing should be when and where the user begins to feel frustrated because they are unable to complete the task. I completely agree. What the participant feels is important in these tests but I see it as a secondary measure. Record the feelings but view them as a side-effect of the procedure.
2. Not Bringing the Team Together. This to me this goes without saying. If everyone isn't there paying attention, then not everyone will be on the same page. When you are not on the same page, communication suffers. I like his comparison the the 'Telephone'. Played that a lot when I was a kid.
3. Not Recruiting the right Participants. We discussed this in class and I believe we all agreed that friends and family members where not good choices. The ideal choices are those who fit the demo and come in to the process cold. I like what he says here about what can happen with the wrong participants, do they know too much so they won't experience the problems real users would find, is one issue. The next contradicts what we discussed to a degree. Spool says focusing too much on demographics and ignoring individual subtleties could lead to false conclusions. He says you should focus on user attributes like behavior. How will the users each behave and what attributes cause this distinction? I like that, too. However, I think it will narrow your field too much and become too niche oriented.
4. Not Designing the Right Tasks. This is huge. I had several problems trying to design tasks the first time I tried it in my Production Team class. And I fell into the issues of 'leading the participant', using the same language, etc. Spool touches on the first thing I thought of when considering testing, why wouldn't the user go to the search box? In a test he helped with for Ikea, this is exactly what happened. They were asked to find a bookcase, so they ALL went to the search field and typed in 'bookcase'. So the task was changed to become more of a story telling them what they were going to put in the bookcase, how much stuff they had and they called is shelving, not bookcases. This is the approach I would like to use. When originally wrote the tasks in the class i mentioned before, I tried to do that. 'You have an 8-year old daughter and you to register her for swimming lessons. Find the form.' I was half-way there. It is completely accurate that task design will effect your results. I don't see how this could be ignored. 'Context of use'. I will remember that and use it.
5. Not Facilitating the Test Effectively. Spool says the facilitating is learned skill. He says he has never met anyone that was adept to it. A good one will draw the right information without giving away the goods. They keep it interesting not only for the participant, but the observer as well.
6. Not Planning How You'll Disseminate the Results. Here he focuses on the getting the results to the right people so that action can be taken. I would agree that reports are often not read. You may give them out, but they more than likely will not get read. He proposes review sessions after each test, an email discussion list about the test and interactive workshops. I like these ideas! I think theses are great ways to make sure everyone gets the results.
7. Not iterating to Test Potential Solutions. Although testing may illuminate problems, it fails to tell us how to solve them. There are several solutions for any given issue, but which one do you use? You will need to test again. Spool says paper mock-ups will work for this round. Do not cut corners. If your 'solution' is more confusing than the original problem, it could end in disaster. Follow-up testing is a must to make sure you have chosen the right conclusions.
I learned a lot from this article. most of it we discussed in class but it nice to read how these things work in the world.
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