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First Fridays Usability Test Script

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Marco Ogê Muniz
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14 views5 pages

First Fridays Usability Test Script

Uploaded by

Marco Ogê Muniz
Copyright
© All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOC, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

First Fridays Usability Testing Script

Firstfridays@[Link] / [Link]/firstfridays

Hi, ___________. My name is ___________, and I’m going to be walking you through this
session today.

Before we begin, I have some information for you, and I’m going to read it to make
sure that I cover everything.

We’re asking people to try using a website that we’re working on so we can see
whether it works as intended. The session should take about an hour.

The first thing I want to make clear right away is that we’re testing the site, not you.
You can’t do anything wrong here. In fact, this is probably the one place today
where you don’t have to worry about making mistakes.

As you use the site, I’m going to ask you as much as possible to try to think out
loud: to say what you’re looking at, what you’re trying to do, and what you’re
thinking. This will be a big help to us in terms of understanding your experience.

Also, please don’t worry that you’re going to hurt our feelings. We’re doing this to
improve the site, so we need to hear your honest reactions. Any comments about
the site are welcome.

If you have any questions as we go along, just ask them. I’ll answer them
immediately if I can, or after the test. And if you need to take a break at any point,
just let me know.

You may have noticed the speakerphone / microphone. There are a few people
from the Web design team observing this session in another room. They can’t see
us, but they can hear our voices and see what’s happening on your computer
screen.

If you would, I’m going to ask you to sign a simple permission form for us. It just
says that we have your permission to record this session and use this as a product
of our test.

Do you have any questions so far?

OK. Before we look at the site, I’d like to ask you just a few quick questions.

First, what’s your occupation? What do you do all day?


Now, roughly how many hours a week altogether—just a ballpark estimate— would
you say you spend using the Internet, including Web browsing and email, at work
and at home?

What kinds of sites are you looking at when you browse the Web? (in brief)

When you visit a website, do you prefer to go straight to the site search to find what
you’re looking for, or do you prefer to click around and browse to find what you’re
looking for? (in brief)

Have you been to www.(site name).gov before?

What are three tasks you think you should be able to complete on a site
called XXXXX (name of site)?

Intro questions - Open up product to be tested:

OK, great. We’re done with the questions, and we can start looking at things.

First, I’m going to ask you to look at this page and tell me what would you click on
first? (30 seconds max.)

OK. Now let’s look a little more around the page. You can scroll if you want to, but
don’t click on anything yet. Briefly, what do you think the purpose of this site is? (30
seconds max.)

Who do you think owns this site? (30 seconds max.)

Who is the target audience? (30 seconds max.)

What do you think you can do here? (30 seconds max.)

Instructions: Thanks. Now I’m going to ask you to try doing some specific tasks. I’m
going to read each one out loud and just ask if you would like me to repeat the task
for you at any time. (and give you a printed copy.) And again, as much as possible,
it will help us if you can try to think out loud as you go along

Search Questions:
Question #1: Please use the site search to find XXXXX. (When finished) How was
that?

Question #2: Etc.

Tasks:

Question 1. You’re writing a paper about sustainability and want some information
about what government in doing this area. Please find some information on this
site.
Test Objective: Test homepage main navigation
Expected path from homepage: Homepage > Learn More > Businesses >
Sustainability

Participant #1 Succeeded: □ Succeeded w/ difficulty: □ Failed: □

Observations: Customer commented that the top menu items all seemed very
similar, and that the drop down menus were hard to use.

Participant #2 Succeeded: □ Succeeded w/ difficulty: □ Failed: □

Observations:

Participant #3 Succeeded: □ Succeeded w/ difficulty: □ Failed: □

Observations:
Participant #1: _____ Participant #2 _____ Participant #3 _____

Question 2. Etc
Test Objective: Etc
Expected path: Etc

Participant #1 Succeeded: □ Succeeded w/ difficulty: □ Failed: □

Observations:

Participant #2 Succeeded: □ Succeeded w/ difficulty: □ Failed: □

Observations:

Participant #3 Succeeded: □ Succeeded w/ difficulty: □ Failed: □

Observations:

Participant #1: _____ Participant #2 _____ Participant #3 _____

(Add more questions as needed. When all tasks are finished, continue below).

Debriefing
1. What do you think about the site? Is this something you would use?

2. What’s your favorite thing about this site?

Participant #1:

Participant #2

Participant #3

3. What’s your LEAST favorite thing about this site?

Participant #1:

Participant #2

Participant #3

4. Do you have any recommendations for changes to the way the this site
looks or works?

END TEST PORTION

Thanks, that was very helpful.

(If you have people in another room, continue here) If you’ll excuse me for a
minute, I’m just going to see if the people on the team have any follow-up questions
they’d like me to ask you.

[talk to observation room, let them ask any questions]

Do you have any questions for me, now that we’re done?

Thank you so much for your help today. Your comments will help us create a better
website.

Common questions

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The primary purpose of conducting First Fridays Usability Testing is to evaluate whether a website works as intended by observing users interacting with the site. This process allows the development team to gain insights into user experiences, identify usability issues, and gather honest feedback about the site. Consequently, it provides a critical opportunity to make necessary improvements to enhance user satisfaction and functionality before the website goes live. The test is structured to create a pressure-free environment for users, emphasizing that the website is being tested, not the users themselves, which encourages open and honest feedback necessary for iterative design .

It is crucial for the usability testing script to reassure participants that they cannot do anything wrong to alleviate pressure and anxiety, making them feel more comfortable and open during the session. This reassurance encourages participants to interact naturally with the website, providing more authentic feedback and insight into actual user behavior. By reducing fear of judgment or error, the testing can more accurately reflect genuine user experience and uncover authentic usability issues .

The usability testing script facilitates an environment conducive to open and honest feedback by setting a tone that emphasizes the testing of the site, not the user, thereby encouraging participants to express genuine reactions without fear of judgment. Key elements that contribute to this environment include reassuring language, clear instructions, and the presence of a permission form that transparently addresses recording and observation. Moreover, telling participants not to worry about the feelings of the design team encourages candid feedback. Elements that could hinder this environment include any technical jargon or pressure to succeed in tasks, which could intimidate or dissuade honest critique .

Follow-up questions from the web design team can enhance the quality of usability testing by clarifying user feedback, providing deeper insights, and addressing any uncertainties that observers may have noted. By directly engaging with the user immediately after the session, the team can explore any particular issues further, verify assumptions about user interactions, and gather additional qualitative data to inform later design iterations .

Preliminary questions about the user's occupation and internet usage habits play a critical role in customizing the usability testing process to reflect the typical user's experience. Understanding the participant's background allows the testers to contextualize the feedback and identify perspectives rooted in specific experiences or professional affiliations. By knowing the types of websites a user frequents or prefers, testers can anticipate user expectations and tailor tasks to better evaluate site design concerning perceived user skill levels and familiarity with similar web environments .

Usability testing identifies specific tasks that might require redesign by observing actual user interactions with the site, noting where users struggle or express confusion. For example, when users fail or succeed with difficulty in completing predefined tasks, such as finding information about government sustainability efforts, it signals that the task path or interface elements may not be intuitive or visible enough. Such findings highlight areas needing redesign to ensure clearer navigation paths and improved interface functionality, ultimately enhancing online accessibility and user satisfaction .

During the usability test, it was observed that some participants commented on the top menu items, noting that they all seemed very similar, leading to confusion. Additionally, participants found the drop-down menus to be hard to use, indicating a potential area for redesign to improve user experience and navigation efficiency on the site .

The role of the facilitator is crucial in usability testing as they guide the session, framing tasks and questions in a manner that encourages user engagement while minimizing bias. A skilled facilitator ensures the environment remains neutral and open, prompting participants to think aloud without imposing their own opinions or inadvertently leading responses. They also manage the session's flow, addressing user queries neutrally, which aids in capturing authentic user interactions and feedback. Effective facilitation safeguards the integrity of test results by allowing observations to be user-driven, thus reflecting unaltered user experiences and insights that accurately inform design improvements .

The key questions asked during the debriefing session are aimed at gathering general impressions and suggestions for site improvement. These include questions about whether the participant would use the site, what their favorite and least favorite aspects of the site are, and any recommendations for visual or functional changes. These questions are important as they directly address user satisfaction and perceived value, providing actionable feedback for improving site design and functionality based on actual user experiences and perceptions .

Encouraging participants to think out loud during usability testing sessions helps the facilitators understand the user's thought process, perceptions, and decision-making strategies as they navigate the site. This method allows the design team to gain insight into potential confusion, areas where the user may encounter difficulties, and their expectations versus actual experience. It aids in identifying specific user interface elements that may need redesigning to improve overall usability and ensures that the site's navigation aligns well with user intuition and expectations .

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