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Usability Testing

[ARCHIVE FROM 2017]

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Monday, October 30, 2017
3:30 PM to 5:30 PM 
Hawes 203

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Guest instructor: Jeremy Kriegel, UX Lead at the Broad Institute of MIT & Harvard

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We are now transitioning from our research phase to solution building. Roll those sleeves up and start to sketch out wireframes of your apps! Focus on the Key Path Scenarios you outlined in the MRD, or updated versions if you have new insights/learnings based on more recent testing/peer feedback. The first draft of these wireframes can be on paper, google slides, balsamiq, Invision, Proto.io or any other tools you’ve found handy.

Jeremy will guide us through a usability testing workshop in class on October 30. We expect you to do further, iterative, testing of your wireframes between this session and the Wireframe Assignment due date, Nov 5.

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Required Reading:

  1. Eisenmann's Summary Notes on Usability Testing (includes highlights from some of the readings below)

  2. Rosie Allabarton, How to Create Your First Wireframe 

  3. Proto.io, The 10 Commandments for Usability Testing For Mobile Apps

Optional Reading

  1. Nielsen Norman Group, Turn User Goals into Task Scenarios for Usability Testing

  2. Christine Perfetti, Usability Tests in a Nutshell, Part 3: Creating Tasks

  3. Steve Krug, Usability Test Script

  4. Kara Pernice, Talking with Participants During a Usability Test

  5. Jared Spool, Three Questions You Shouldn't Ask During User Research

  6. Steve Krug, Rocket Surgery Made Easy is a short, funny, practical book on usability testing by the author of the UI design basics book, Don't Make Me Think!

  7. Cole Derochie, Unbounce, Measure Twice, Cut Once: Introducing User Testing into Our Design Process

  8. Janice Redish, Six Steps to Ensure a Successful Usability Test

 

There is NO assignment to turn in for the October 30 session! However, you must come in prepared...

 

Session Prep:

In addition to the required reading, each team should bring:

  • DRAFTS of your wireframes/prototypes of your app that you can test in class. Mobile phones or laptops OK, low fidelity paper prototypes are also acceptable.

  • A draft of key tasks that you want to have users test on your wireframes/prototypes. Make sure your wireframe/prototypes can support complete flows that deliver value.

 

REMINDERS: 

MRD Peer Reviews are due by 5:00pm on Sunday, October 29, 2017

FINAL wireframes are due by 5:00pm on Sunday, November 5, 2017

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