Here are five templates that can guide the usability testing of a Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) research project. These templates cover different stages of research and documentation, allowing you to plan and structure your usability study effectively.
1. Usability Testing Plan Template
This template is used to outline the key details of the usability study before implementation, ensuring clarity in objectives and methods.
Usability Testing Plan for [Application Name]
1. Test Objective(s)
- Define the specific goals of the usability study.
Example: “To assess the ease of task creation, navigation intuitiveness, and overall user satisfaction with the ‘TaskFlow’ application.”
2. Participant Profile
- Define the participant demographics (age, profession, experience level).
Example: “Participants aged 25-40, professional users with moderate experience in mobile task management applications.”
3. Test Methodology
- Explain the methods you will use (e.g., task-based testing, think-aloud protocols, post-test interviews).
Example: “Task-based usability testing, followed by think-aloud protocol and post-test interviews.”
4. Key Tasks
- List the tasks participants will perform during the study.
Example:- Task 1: Create a new task and assign a due date.
- Task 2: Find and edit an existing task.
- Task 3: Mark a task as complete.
5. Evaluation Metrics
- Specify what data you will collect, such as success rates, time to complete tasks, error rates, and user satisfaction scores.
Example: “Completion time, error rates, task success/failure, and System Usability Scale (SUS) score.”
6. Location and Setup
- Describe where the test will take place and what equipment is needed.
Example: “The study will take place in a controlled lab setting. Participants will use Android tablets for testing.”
7. Timeline
- Provide a timeline for the testing phases, including setup, execution, and analysis.
Example: “Testing will occur over the course of two weeks, with two days per week dedicated to participant testing.”
2. Task Scenario Template
This template outlines the specific scenarios participants will face during usability testing. Each scenario should be clear and detailed, guiding the participant through a series of actions that reflect common tasks within the application.
Task Scenario for Task 1: “Task Creation”
Scenario Title: Create a New Task in “TaskFlow”
Goal: To test how easily participants can create and manage a new task.
Instructions for Participant:
- “Imagine you are organizing your daily work tasks. You need to create a task to complete an email marketing campaign by Friday afternoon. The task should include a title, description, and a deadline.”
- “Go ahead and create a task in the application titled ‘Complete Email Campaign’ with a due date of Friday at 3:00 PM.”
Success Criteria:
- Task creation is completed successfully.
- The task appears in the task list with the correct title, description, and deadline.
Follow-Up Questions (Post-Task):
- “How easy was it for you to find the task creation feature?”
- “Were there any parts of the task creation process that were confusing?”
3. Post-Test Interview Template
This template is used to capture participant feedback after the usability tasks have been completed. This qualitative data provides insights into user experience.
Post-Test Interview for Usability Study
1. Overall Experience
- “Can you describe your overall experience with the app? Was it easy or difficult to use?”
2. Task Success
- “Which tasks did you find the easiest to complete? Why?”
- “Which tasks did you find the most difficult? What issues did you encounter?”
3. Interface Design
- “How did you feel about the layout of the application? Was the information easy to find?”
- “Were there any buttons or features you found hard to discover?”
4. Navigation
- “How intuitive did you find the navigation system of the app? Did you find it easy to move between different sections?”
5. Suggestions for Improvement
- “What improvements would you recommend to make this app easier to use?”
- “Did you feel that any feature or action was missing in the app?”
6. Satisfaction Ratings
- Use a Likert scale (1 to 5) to rate various aspects, such as ease of use, visual appeal, and clarity of instructions.
4. Usability Testing Data Collection Template
This template helps organize and record both quantitative and qualitative data during the usability test.
Usability Data Collection for [Test Name]
| Participant | Task 1 Completion Time (s) | Task 1 Success (Yes/No) | Task 2 Completion Time (s) | Task 2 Success (Yes/No) | Post-Test Satisfaction (1-5) | Notes/Observations |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Participant 1 | 45 | Yes | 30 | Yes | 4 | “Found the interface easy to navigate. Task 2 was confusing due to button size.” |
| Participant 2 | 60 | No | 50 | Yes | 3 | “Had difficulty locating the search bar.” |
| Participant 3 | 35 | Yes | 25 | Yes | 5 | “Smooth process overall, but suggested improvement for task assignment feature.” |
5. System Usability Scale (SUS) Template
The SUS is a reliable tool to gauge user satisfaction with a product. This template includes the standard SUS questions with space for participants to rate each aspect.
System Usability Scale (SUS) Survey
For each statement, rate your agreement on a scale from 1 (Strongly Disagree) to 5 (Strongly Agree).
- “I think that I would like to use this system frequently.”
- “I found the system unnecessarily complex.”
- “I thought the system was easy to use.”
- “I think that I would need the support of a technical person to be able to use this system.”
- “I found the various functions in this system were well integrated.”
- “I thought there was too much inconsistency in this system.”
- “I would imagine that most people would learn to use this system very quickly.”
- “I found the system very cumbersome to use.”
- “I felt very confident using the system.”
- “I needed to learn a lot of things before I could get going with this system.”
SUS Score Calculation
- Add the scores for questions 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, and 10.
- Subtract the score for questions 2, 4, 6, and 8 from 5.
- Multiply the total score by 2.5 to get the final SUS score.
Each of these templates serves as a structured approach to usability testing in HCI research, ensuring that you have a comprehensive view of user interaction with the system, as well as a clear path to analysis and improvement.