Determine
the demographic profile of the person you'd like to test. Do
you want to test your current users or who you hope to be your
future users or both?
Example:
I want to test mothers between the ages of 28 and 45 who regularly
purchase items on the Internet.
Step
2. State Your Needs.
Determine
the information your are looking to confirm and discover.
Example:
We are looking to discover why users begin orders, but don't
complete them. We also want to know what customers
are thinking as they browse through our catalog.
Step
3. Establish test scenarios and questionnaires.
Determine the quantitative and qualitative methods to test your
hypotheses.
Example:
Have users purchase a product and observe where they become
confused and frustrated.
Step
4. Conduct Usability Study and Observe.
Put
your customers through your test scenarios. Record
their actions, thoughts and feelings.
Example: Capture screens that confuse them,
record their browser history files, tape record, videotape their
answers.
Step 5. Compile and Evaluate Behavior and Experience.
Analyze usability data for trends and opportunities.
Separate "smile sheet answers" from reality.
Example:
While users said they thought the order process was easy to
use, only 3 of 20 successfully completed an order.
Step
6. Presentation of Findings
Gather
business, marketing, development and other relevant groups together
to present and discuss findings.
Example:
From our marketing literature, users are expecting to be able
to see their account information easily, but once on the site,
they are frustrated by how difficult it is to retrieve information.
