Usability Evaluation General Guide

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You will need a minimum of three human subjects (participants) for this exercise.
Choose an interface (e.g., anything — some specific technology device, hardware or software or
website, or smart device app, other) that is manageable, an interface that you can arrange for
your participants to work through independently (while you observe them in person) the major
features of the user interface you have chosen to evaluate.
The goal of the usability evaluation is to locate usability problems and to recommend
improvements to the interface. To do this you need to devise a usability task list for participants
to work through independently to help you discover usability problems (and/or good design
achievements) with the interface. You will prepare a list of tasks that each participant will
perform. The task list includes a brief description of each task to be performed with the interface
as the focus of the evaluation. You may (if appropriate) prepare a flowchart showing the order
tasks are to be performed and other important events and sequences. Your job, as the student
researcher, is to give each participant appropriate written and/or verbal directions on how to

Usability Evaluation General Guide

complete the task list; observe the participant working through each task and record (on paper)
the sequence of events and data observed.
Upon collecting data from all invited participants, prepare a usability evaluation report
(paper) describing the details of the entire evaluation process (from planning to
recommendations), including the results of the usability evaluation. This paper must have
substantial literature integration throughout to support your process

As you plan, conduct, analyze, and report your usability evaluation or test, follow this format
as appropriate:
Planning Stage
1. Identify the test goals.
2. Describe what test method(s) you will use to reach your test goals.
3. Identify participants to perform the usability evaluation. (See IRB Policy stated above.)
This process should give attention to prescreening:
* a. user experience level/skills/capabilities
* b. education
* c. attitudes/willingness

Usability Evaluation General Guide

* d. demographics (age, gender, language, etc.). Invite those only of adult-age (18 years
or older). Do not ask any intrusive information about the individual.
* e. user satisfaction of the product
*Note: This information is normally generated through a questionnaire. Use a paper
questionnaire or a list of interview questions to help you collect this information from your
participants. (Usability texts will often include examples so that you have something to work
with.
In planning your UE, you may also need to determine the requirements of users that fit the
objective of evaluating the interface, in regard to:
• speed required of user
• skill required of user
• physical capability of user
• responsibility required of user
• ease of use considered for the user
• the user’s potential for misuse or error
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4. Create a task list. Create workable tasks that help the user evaluate the usability of the product
design. (This will vary in number and complexity depending on the interface you choose to
evaluate.)

Usability Evaluation General Guide

5. Order and prioritize the tasks.
6. Determine which user performance and usability measures will be taken.
7. Create the scenario (test lab) needed to conduct the evaluation (The “test lab” can be your
office, home, or wherever you can set up the hardware and software.)
Remember to establish and detail the following:
a. workstation arrangement
b. comfort/space of the testing lab
c. modifiability of the testing environment
d. room details (lighting/heat/air/cleanliness/noise/distractions)
8. In regard to tasks and task lists, be sure to:
a. Provide a general description of each task to be performed.
b. Describe what steps are in each task.
c. Distinguish interaction with other tasks.
d. Identify if it is an independent or group task (as applicable).

Usability Evaluation General Guide

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