[Sigia-l] Questioning common test scripting

[John O'Donovan]

Ash wrote:
> I agree wholeheartedly with Ziya on one point.  Usability testing does
> not create good design, nor does it even create intuitive or usable
> design.  It was never designed to create.  It's merely a method to
> verify design assumptions (read: "hypotheses").
>

This is certainly true and probably not in doubt in the traditional sense
where usability has been seen as an end of development test to quantify some
results on usability and ensure no major errors.

I would add that you need to be careful about making this assumption on
testing when you are following a full participatory approach, where
usability will inform your design decisions rather than just test
hypotheses. Subtle difference I know but there it is. In this case user
research, task analysis, design, prototyping, etc and the outcomes of a UCD
process have to far more carefully balance the design "vision" with the user
requirements.

Things you find out through working with users will affect your design in a
more integrated way but as with all tests and as above, the results still
have to be analysed and filtered so that you can be sure that they are being
objectively applied. Usability testing alone will not create the design for
you.

On the original question, I just prefer to tell people what I am testing
rather than what I am not. As others have said, how can you tell they
believe you anyway, even if you say you are not testing them?

The same problem also applies to an even greater degree when gathering
requirements. Interviewing people and monitoring their working practices
often gives the impression of a time and motion study. You have to be very
clear about what the purpose of the observation is so that they don't think
you are trying to replace them with a computer / robot / monkey / gimp /
trainee.

Maybe not quite in that order of preference...

As you are possibly about to change someones world by deploying a system,
solution, new design, whatever so it's important you are as inclusive as
possible and explain as much of the process as possible. It should not then
be necessary to explain that "you are not testing them" because they will
understand the process to some degree.

It is often when people think you are holding back on them that they start
getting more nervous about your intentions...

Cheers,

jod