The Good Road Network usability tests were set up for two days a week apart. There were web people and musicians coming in and testing elements of the website. It was a great test environment. We started with a number of observation sessions. We watched test participants use the Good Road Network app, going through a number of user scenarios. Then I served as a moderator. After many days of testing and discussion about the site, I set to work on my test evaluation.
Usability Testing as an Observer
Observing test sessions takes patience, but it is always rewarded. It's an experiment, after all, so if you look at it in the right way, there are no bad results. You never know what's going to happen. How participants react, what they say, it's always a surprise, especially if you designed the site yourself. We sat in another room watching the sessions on a big screen. The designers were caught off-guard by a few of the reactions, and the ways the participants went off the path. But this is the great thing about testing, no wrong answers, and a lot of really useful information.
Usability Testing as a Moderator
I love to moderate as much as I like to observe. It is exciting to see something happen right in front of you, without the remove of the observation screen. Some people think moderating is about being in control, but it is just the opposite. Moderating test sessions takes an unusual approach. You are a guide, but you can't lead the test subject. You have to let things happen. You can nudge here and there but it takes a subtle hand. It's a kind of Zen thing. This was my third time as a test moderator.
Usability Test Report
The Good Road Network Usability Report was a combination of a usability and a heuristic report. I put together as an evaluation based in part on the testing and my own experience. During the testing sessions I took a lot of notes. I compiled them and summarized conclusions from each session. I reviewed the video of a number of the sessions to clarify what had transpired. This improved my understanding about how the site was working and what it might need in the way of improvement.
