Book Image

Remote Usability Testing

By : Inge De Bleecker, Rebecca Okoroji
Book Image

Remote Usability Testing

By: Inge De Bleecker, Rebecca Okoroji

Overview of this book

Usability testing is a subdiscipline of User Experience. Its goal is to ensure that a given product is easy to use and the user's experience with the product is intuitive and satisfying. Usability studies are conducted with study participants who are representative of the target users to gather feedback on a user interface. The feedback is then used to refine and improve the user interface. Remote studies involve fewer logistics, allow participation regardless of location and are quicker and cheaper to execute compared to in person studies, while delivering valuable insights. The users are not inhibited by being in a new environment under observation; they can act naturally in their familiar environment. Remote unmoderated studies additionally have the advantage of being independent of time zones. This book will teach you how to conduct qualitative remote usability studies, in particular remote moderated and unmoderated studies. Each chapter provides actionable tips on how to use each methodology and how to compensate for the specific nature of each methodology. The book also provides material to help with planning and executing each study type.
Table of Contents (18 chapters)
Title Page
Copyright and Credits
Dedication
Packt Upsell
Contributors
Preface
8
What to Consider When Analyzing and Presenting the Study Results
Index

About user videos


A user video shows what the user experiences as they complete their task. At a minimum, it includes a capture of the screen that the participant is viewing and their narration. Whether a video-based study is a suitable approach depends on the goal of the study and the product under testing.

Screen capture

Screen capture options may vary depending on the tool or platform that is used. At a minimum, the user video must display the participant's screen as they complete the task.

Visual indications of mouse tracking (on a computer) or finger taps (on a touchscreen device) in the video are valuable additions to the recording, as it is otherwise difficult to follow what the user is doing. 

Some user video tools additionally have the option to record the participant's facial expressions using a webcam on the computer or a mobile phone camera.

Audio capture

At the most basic level, the participant's audio must be captured, and should be clear and understandable. This means that the following...