[Sigia-l] Questioning common test scripting

[Dr. Marios Pittas]

"Listera" wrote:

> If you're very nice to me, I might overlook (consciously or
subconsciously)
> problems I may otherwise not tolerate or work extra hard to locate
problems
> just to be polite/considerate/helpful. As the interviewer, you may never
> know what I really feel.

Lots of other data collected during tested will help guide you to evaluate
the
difficulties the user experienced during a test session, for example: time
to
complete tasks and subtasks measured through video recordings.. number of
errors
program logs of the users interactions captured through the system..

> Now, I'm all for having 'conversations' with (potential) users; they are
> invaluable. But they are just that: informal conversations. Like the
> difference between telling someone what you think and testifying under
oath
> for a capital case.

I know that you are not suggesting that we should be doing changes after
every informal
conversation, but how would you go about it deciding whether a problem
suggested by a
user is an isoltated incident, or exists only in a specific group of
people.. or or..
thus the need for established processes, methods and techniques..

> Hopefully, you're not putting a patina of "oh-so-scientific, white-coat
> usability engineering" stuff on all this.

Hm..

Marios

-----Original Message-----
From: sigia-l-admin at asis.org [mailto:sigia-l-admin at asis.org]On Behalf Of
Listera
Sent: Tuesday, June 10, 2003 4:07 PM
To: sigia-l at asis.org
Subject: Re: [Sigia-l] Questioning common test scripting


"Mitchell Gass" wrote:

> I emphasize throughout each session how much we value their thoughts and
how
> what we're learning can help us improve the design. The point here is that
the
> situation in a usability test is not static; I can intervene to help
> participants feel more comfortable and be more engaged.

At what point do you cross the Pavlovian line?

If you're very nice to me, I might overlook (consciously or subconsciously)
problems I may otherwise not tolerate or work extra hard to locate problems
just to be polite/considerate/helpful. As the interviewer, you may never
know what I really feel.

Now, I'm all for having 'conversations' with (potential) users; they are
invaluable. But they are just that: informal conversations. Like the
difference between telling someone what you think and testifying under oath
for a capital case.

Hopefully, you're not putting a patina of "oh-so-scientific, white-coat
usability engineering" stuff on all this.

Ziya
Nullius in Verba


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