Variants of a User Day
Testing Methods
Three different testing methods are described and recommended in this toolkit: paper prototypes, task-based exploration of the application, and usability testing.
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Method
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Paper Prototype
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Task-based Exploration
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Usability Testing
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|---|---|---|---|
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Description
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To test the design concept, a user interface is sketched on paper and tested. | The user explores an application as implemented together with the developer using task scenarios. | The developer observes users as they perform tasks and logs any problems. |
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Focus
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Design concept, application structure, rough UI design. | Application structure and UI design. | Application structure and UI design including details. |
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Interview style
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Cooperative design: Proposals by the tester are included directly in the prototype. |
Working in partnership: Continual discussion about special features and problems. |
Controlled support: Primarily observation, occasional interruption for assistance. |
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Protocol
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Entire proceedings, all observations, comments and changes to the prototype. | Entire proceedings, all problems and observations. | All problems and observations, possible solution time, number of steps, errors, amount of support. |
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Advantages
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Low cost, quick changes, supports cooperative design process. | Direct exchange of opinions with user while working on the product. | User is not subject to influence from developers. Measurable results such as processing time and number of errors. |
If the design is in the initial stages of development, test with a paper prototype or with a task-based exploration. This kind of testing requires intensive communication, which encourages new design ideas and optimizes the basic concept. Here it is better to do parallel testing (i.e. testing a group of users at the same time), which includes a round table discussion at the end. If the design is close to being complete, the main focus is on detecting weaknesses and problems. Therefore, you should do individual testing so that you can observe each user more carefully. Although the focus of a User Day is closely tied to the testing medium, the team is free to emphasize the conceptual, structural, or detail level.
| Figure 3. | The relationship between development phase and appropriate testing method. |
The common theme with all testing methods is that the development team presents the user with a clear concept or design that will be confirmed, rejected or optimized by the user.
Source: User Day Toolkit