TaskOverview

A very important aspect of user testing is to ensure that every user is treated the same, and that both test materials and procedures are exactly the same from user to user. Creating a test plan to use during testing ensures that the users get the same tasks and the same prompts for help (if needed). Read  ()

 and  (after clicking the link , choose either the Word or PDF version of the text), which will provide examples of ways to develop tasks and prompts to include in your test plan to effectively support users during testing.

Prompt

After reading the articles, complete the following activities:

For each of the situations given below, develop two user testing prompts that would be appropriate:

· The user is stuck after finishing one portion of a task and doesn’t know what to do next.

· The user has clicked on the system-furnished help but doesn’t seem to understand the message it has conveyed.

· The user is quiet and has not done anything with the software for several minutes.

User testing is best when users are given tasks that are more personal to them. On a website selling shoes, a good task would be “Buy a pair of Nike LeBron 7 Big Kids Shoes for your nephew,” as opposed to “Buy a pair of shoes.” In other instances, rather than giving users specific tasks, you should ask them to do something more general. For example, instead of saying, “Go to the heading on the initial page that says SALE, then select the category ‘shoes,’ then find a pair for under $40,” you might say, “You are looking for a new pair of shoes on this store website but you don’t want to spend very much money. How would you proceed?”

For each of the general tasks below, develop a more personalized task that could be used in a usability test. It is okay to use names of specific websites.

· Go to Fandango and find a movie.

· Order something from a clothing website.

· Figure out how to return an item you purchased.

· Make an appointment to see a doctor.

Guidelines for Submission

Your written responses must be submitted as a Word document (.doc), and must address all of the tasks.