6.10 Watch people use the software

This is the classic usability testing method: To discover which designs work best, watch users as they attempt to perform tasks with the user interface. This method is so simple that many people overlook it, assuming that there must be something more to usability testing. […] [U]ltimately, the way to get user data boils down to the basic rules of usability: Watch what people actually do. Do not believe what people say they do. Definitely don’t believe what people predict they may do in the future. Nielsen (2001) As Nielsen already describes, this is actually a very simple method – provided you follow some basic guidelines: Introduce them to what the test is about, that you will test a software. Make them feel at ease: It is about the software and not them who are tested. Ask them about their previous experience. Also see 6.5 Benchmark opinions. Record issues: Note down any problems they have while interacting with the site. It is fine when they think aloud but you have to discern actual issues from opinions. They can stop the test any time they want and you should stop it when you feel there are no more useful results. Time can vary between 10 and 90 minutes. For each test you should use the same set of defined tasks to ensure that tests with multiple people are comparable. If you did 6.2 Be a new user before you can use the same tasks to also test against your personal perception of issues. This will at the same time help you to think more like a new user. It’s best to start with a simple task to make participants feel at ease and act naturally. Make sure that the tasks are logical and follow a natural order. When most of the participants run into a problem it can be considered major and needs to be fixed. For clarification of issues you should also ask the participants some questions after finishing the tasks: What did you like most? What didn’t you like at all? Did you have fun using it? How is it different from [comparable software they use]? Would you recommend it to friends? Why? Why not? At the end of the interview, thank them for their time. For a demonstration of a quick usability test, see Steve Krug’s (2008) presentation on the least you can do about usability from 43:30 on.