Why teachers struggle with usability testing

1. Why teachers struggle with usability testing Jim Flowers Ball State UniversityNovember 14, 2013

2. Online Course: TEDU 510Technology Use & Assessment

3. Online Instruction on Usability Testing This content is also at http://jcflowers1.iweb.bsu.edu/rlo/modusability.htm

4. Online Student Usability Research Reports This content is also at http://jcflowers1.iweb.bsu.edu/rlo/usabilityreports.htm

5. Teachers • Many in the class are teachers. • In particular, many are technology teachers.

6. Why teachers struggle • Why do teachers, in particular, seem to struggle in designing, conducting, and reporting on a usability assessment test? • It is precisely because of their fine: • Training & Experience • Values

7. Teachers: Usability Assessment testers: • Provide instruction • Sometimes with step-by-step procedures • Set tasks for users in terms of users’ goals • Avoid providing step-by-step procedures precisely so errors in procedures followed by users may be uncovered

8. Teachers: Usability Assessment testers: • Are careful that they test the product and its interface, rather than their own methods • Emphasize their own instruction • Care about improving their instruction

9. Teachers: Usability Assessment testers: • May see their client as: • The manufacturer’s product redesign team • Those deciding on product purchase • Those implementing product rollout and support • May see their client as: • The student • The student’s eventual employer • Society

10. Teachers: Usability Assessment testers: • Test products and their human interfaces with the help of test subjects • Test students on their abilities

11. Teachers: Usability Assessment testers: • Measure success by the wealth of usability issues (including errors) uncovered and explored • Measure success by the ability of students to succeed without errors, eventually

12. Teachers: Usability Assessment testers: • Often have test subjects participate one at a time, as there is so much for the researcher to observe • Teach and test students in groups

13. Teachers: Usability Assessment testers: • Can benefit from test subjects thinking out loud during testing • Typically ask students to be quiet during testing

14. Teachers: Usability Assessment testers: • Realize the need for debriefing to uncover hidden problems, explore causes, corroborate observations, and discuss solutions suggested by test subjects • Feel their job is over when a student can finally accomplish a task

15. Teachers: Usability Assessment testers: • Should listen to test subjects regarding their views of frustration, efficiency, and success • See themselves as the judge of whether there has been student success

16. Teachers: Usability Assessment testers: • Are most concerned with the identification and causes of usability issues, which may entail much qualitative analysis. • Grade • Often assigning a numerical score • This could increase the tendency to look at quantitative measurements rather than qualitative findings. • See grading as the culminating act

17. Teachers: Usability Assessment testers: • Want test subjects to demonstrate errors and failures that occur in actual product use • Want students to succeed

18. Teachers: Usability Assessment testers: • Do not measure their own success by the ability of test subjects to complete assigned tasks • Can feel as if they’ve failed students when students do not have success with a task

19. Knowing this, we can: • Ask them to select technologies to test that do not require initial safety instruction. • Promote an objective approach where the researcher is more of an observer than an instructor. • Help a teacher to avoid thinking like a teacher when planning and conducting a usability test. • Suggest they see the client as the product redesign team. • Suggest they are getting paid $2000 for each usability problem/error uncovered and examined.

20. Why teachers struggle with usability testing Dr. Jim Flowers Professor & Director of Online Education Department of Technology, Ball State Universityjcflowers1@bsu.edu World Usability Day, Indiana Chapter of User Experience Professionals Association November 14, 2013 Indianapolis, IN http://jcflowers1.iweb.bsu.edu/pres/WhyTeachersStruggle.pptx