Remote usability testing technology
By Kristoffer Bohmann, Bohmann Usability
Vividence offers remote usability testing using a modified browser:
- Task bar displays the test user's current task (1-2 sentences) to help him stay focused. All user steps and possibly task performance times are recorded for research purposes. A log analysis can then be used to analyze user actions in the light of their tasks.
- Written comments can be made about user opinions and ideas when the test is running. As URLs are recorded for each user step, usability researchers can compare the performance of users depending on which path they follow to find the needed information.
- Once test users believe they have solved the current task they can submit their answer using a special button.
- Finally, users can simply choose to give up the current task and proceed to the next.
The browser makes remote usability studies more realistic and make it possible for researchers to collect detailed information about user behavior. Also, test users can be selected on a global scale making test users more representative.
Usability problems are revealed as users submit wrong or insufficient answers or give up. Also long answer times will indicate design problems that need further examination.
Kristoffer Bohmann
