Work package 2:

User analysis and usability testing

Responsible partner: Danish Data ArchivesWP leader: Anne Sofie Fink, DDA

Why perform user analysis?

• A user analysis should provide the development team with an understanding of the users so that they can produce software that will be used by target communities

• “A user analysis provides an objective basis for making decisions, and is the first step to building a better product faster for less.” (softwaredesignworks.com)

Setting the scene

Benefits from user analysis (softwaredesignworks.com) :

• developers will have fewer discussions about what users want and how to best provide it

• contributors will spend less time reworking a vague design once they begin coding

• the project team will avoid re-engineering a project to accomodate overlooked, but critical product requirements

• Development will cost less

Setting the scene (cont. 1)

Why perform usability testing:

• Usability tests should provide the development team with information about usability problems the users have when using the product

• Definition of usability:“The extent to which a product can be used by specified users to achieve specified goals with effectiveness, efficiency and satisfaction in a specified context of use.”

(ISO 92412-11: 1998 (E))

Setting the scene (cont. 2)

Usability measures are:• Effectiveness:

How well the user achieves the goals he/she sets out to achieve using the system

• Efficiency: The resources consumed in order to achieve goals

• Satisfaction: How the user feels about his/her use of the system

Additional measures:• Memorability: Interface is easy to remember• Errors: Low error rate and easy to recover from errors

Setting the scene (cont. 3)

Summing up:

• User analysis is about getting an idea about the product the users want

• Usability testing is about how well the product performs when used

Cornerstones:

• Getting information about needs and usage

• ‘Translating’ this information into maps of user requirements

• Creating an information source to developers and other team members

Setting the scene (cont. 4 )

• Ensure that the software tools developed through the MADIERA project offers functionality and solutions that are in accordance with the users’ needs. (user analysis)

• Ensure that the software tools developed are user friendly and appropriate for the target user groups. (Usability testing)

Objectives for WP2

M6:Mai 2003

User Analysis

M8:J uly 2003

Usability Test Report- Demonstrator Prototype

M14:February 2004

Usability Test Report- Demonstrator Beta Version

M20:J uly 2004

Usability Test Report- Demonstrator Version 1

M36:December 2005

Final Usability Test Report

Deliverables of WP2

• The software developed will be in accordance with the needs of the users

• Usability test report on the Beta Version of the demonstrator (M14)

• Completion of the usability testing and incorporation of the feedback will ensure development in accordance with the users requirements

Milestones for WP2

• Secondary analysis of existing data– Analysis of data collected in the FASTER project

• A new user analysis focused at researchers– Method: a qualitative approach is chosen since what is

needed is understanding not quantification

– The technique Contextual Inquiry by Hugh Beyer & Karen Holtzblatt is chosen (prior experience from FASTER)

– Team members taking part in data collection must have a thorough understanding of the project and it’s limitations to work upon

About user analysis

• Four test sequences– No. 1: Test of Demonstrator Prototype

– No. 2: Test of Demonstrator Beta Version

– No. 3: Test of Demonstrator Version 1

– No. 4: Test of final version (M32 - August ‘05)

• Test 1-3 will be made by internal teams

• Test 4 will involve external parties

• Small scale tests will run whenever a version is released

• Methods: heuristics evaluation, think-aloud-tests, and quantitative user tests

About usability testing

• All partners have 2 person-months for the work

• As responsible partner the DDA has 10 month

• The work will run throughout the project period

• Suggestions for organisation of the work: – From each partner a member for a user analysis/usability

team (WP2 Team/User Expert Team) is appointed, at least one member should be part of the development team

– The project leader will provide the team members with back ground material and guidelines for carrying the work

– The team will have meetings and teleconferences

The work

• Data collection and reporting for the user analysis

• Review of reports written by WP leader

• Appointing internal members for usability tests

• Reporting feedback from usability test

• Taking parts in discussion about methods, techniques, users’ needs etc.

• Acting the role of the user’s representative within the local project teams and at other occasions

• …

Responsibilities of the ‘User Expert Team’

• Who’s who in the User Expert Team – setting up of a mail forum

• Analysis of prior user interviews in the light of the aims of the MADIERA Project (WP leader)

• Review of this report (User Expert Team)

• Literature and instructions for the new user analysis made available from internal web site

• Teleconference to discuss new user analysis

• Interviewing

Kick-off of WP2

• Provide information which is useful to the development team in the light of the project and it’s limitations

• Adaptation of methods and techniques to the project

• Few team members involved directly - but ‘deeply’

• Focus on implementation of the knowledge provided by user analysis and usability test, tight link to the development team

• Procedures for reporting user information to the project

• Use relevant occasions for collection of user feedback - (this will support the visibility of the project)

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