Usability Test Report

We hosted app testing events for two days over lunch in Lubbock, Texas. Together, 11 people participated. Testers spent an average of 15 minutes using the app, and 15 more minutes completing the survey and debriefing with me through the desirability toolkit exercise. Complimentary lunch was provided for each individual as compensation for his/her time.

For the first part of the test, participants were given a set of tasks to complete. Each task was printed on separate cards. The order of the cards was different for each test. We did this so that the data we ended up with for specific tasks wouldn’t be swayed by it’s place in the order. Generally, the first task takes longer since the user is seeing the app for the first time, and is still getting familiar.

Once the screen record was started, participants were asked to read the task aloud before doing it. After completing the tasks, participants rated the level of difficulty and made comments on the task card.

For the second part of the test, participants chose five words from the desirability toolkit and shared why they chose them. This time was a great opportunity to surface new information from participants about their experience of the app. During this time, I also looked through their task cards to see where they had problems, so that I could get a deeper understanding of what their mind was processing during a certain task.

Live screen records were captured for each test, along with audio records of the desirability toolkit exercise.

Things that went well —

• Our participants were rock stars. They totally took to the idea of using the task cards and doing the test independently. I thought more people would be confused about how to do the test. But, not one person had a problem with this.
• We had a couple people bail or get sick, but we were able to recruit a few people that were working at the coffee shop. Yes, it was the food that convinced them. 
• For the second day, I color coded the test phones to match the task cards, desirability toolkit worksheet and surveys, so that the data belonging to one test could easily be kept together.
• We had a variety of test phones, which proved to be very valuable. We discovered issues on the motorola phones that we did not experience on the samsung and nexus.