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Workshop: Online Usability Testing: Moving Beyond the Lab |
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Instructors: |
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Where: |
Hyatt Regency San Francisco |
When: |
Monday, September 27, 2010 |
Cost: |
$375 HFES Members |
Abstract: |
Online (unmoderated) usability testing is a cost-effective, efficient, and reliable method for collecting qualitative and quantitative data from hundreds or thousands of users simultaneously. It is an increasingly popular method for measuring the holistic user experience with a productespecially web sites and applications. This workshop will give attendees the skills they need to conduct an online study from start to finish - including planning, design, implementation, analysis, and presentation of results. This includes topics such as determining when to use and not use online testing, tips for scheduling and recruiting for studies, task and question construction, choosing a vendor tool or utilizing discount approaches to implementation, piloting and launching the study, data preparation and analysis, and presentation tips. While the most common application of online studies is to the evaluation of websites, the presenters will also discuss and explore the applications of the method to other types of systems and products. The intended audience for this workshop is professionals within the human factors and usability field who have a basic understanding of typical in-lab usability testing techniques. |
Detailed Summary: |
As technology and product design permeates society, measuring usability
and the holistic user experience plays a more critical role in the success
of products. Users have little patience for poor designs; the competitive
marketplace and ability for product reviews to be shared quickly and widely
can make or break the success of a product. Online usability testing offers
the ability to collect the behavior and perceptions of hundreds or thousands
of users simultaneously. It brings together both quantitative and qualitative
data to make informed decisions about designs. It can be used for many
goals and purposes, from something as specific as comparing the way a
button is worded, to benchmarking a product-wide user experience. It can
be used as a stand-alone usability method or in conjunction with other
methods such as in-lab testing, heuristic reviews, and focus groups. Many user experience professionals recognize the potential value of this
method but lack the information necessary to design a study and choose
the appropriate method to implement and analyze a study with confidence.
The small amount of information available today is directly from vendor
services. The few vendor services in this domain have varying selling
points and cost structures which makes it overwhelming to choose a service,
and difficult to obtain unbiased information about the method. Having
conducted hundreds of online studies, the presenters have the knowledge
and experience to offer unbiased information about the many services available,
as well as tips and tricks for implementing the study that is not offered
elsewhere. The workshop will be primarily lecture-based with hands-on exercises
throughout the session. The exercises will focus on a couple of case studies,
allowing attendees to apply their learnings about the various phases of
online testing throughout the day. Although no prior experience or knowledge of online usability testing is necessary, attendees should have a basic understanding of the principles of traditional lab usability testing. Online studies build off a foundation of these principles. For example, when discussing task construction, the presenters plan to talk about the tips and issues unique to creating tasks for online studies, rather than delving into an extensive background on task construction principles for any usability study. |
Agenda: |
9:00 - 9:30: Introduction to online testing and overview of case studies
for class exercise
9:30 - 10:30: Planning the study
10:30 - 12:00: Designing the study
12pm lunch break 1:00 - 2:00: Vendor services and Discount implementation methods
2:00 - 2:30: Piloting and Launching the Study
2:30 - 4:00: Data Preparation and Analysis
4:00 - 4:30: Presentation tips and other keys to success
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Registration: |
Online Registration Form (select Workshop "WK11- Online Usability Testing") General information about the HFES Conference Note: It is not necessary for workshop attendees to register for the entire conference. You can register for just the workshop if desired. |