MAC Magic Mouse. Usability Test Plan

Transcription

1 MAC Magic Mouse Usability Test Plan Written and conducted by Paulina Maldonado, Stephanie Chan, Yvette Shirinian. March 29, 2010

2 Table of Contents Section Page Number Purpose 3 Problem Statement...4 Test Objectives...6 User Profile...4 Method (Test Design)...6 Task List... 8 Test Environment/ Equipment..9 Evaluation Measures Report Contents and Presentation.. 11 Appendix A: Test Protocol Appendix B: Post-Test Questionnaire Appendix C: Online Post Test Questionnaire...15 References...17

3 Purpose: According to Fortune Magazine, Apple has taken the number one spot in the last three years at the Most Admired Company. CEO Steve Jobs tributes this company s success on a simple mantra, Apple products work, and if you buy more than one, they work better. Apple is dominating the consumer electronics market with by revolutionizing the focus of their brand, marketing, and product design on superior user experience. This past October, Apple introduced the new wireless Magic Mouse, the first mouse to use Apple s Multi-Touch technology that become popular from their iphone, ipod touch and Mac notebook track-pads. Philip Schiller, Apple s senior vice president of Worldwide Product Marketing, said, Apple s Multi-Touch technology allows us to offer an easy to use mouse in a simple and elegant design. Magic Mouse s intuitive touch technology is aimed to allow users to easily scroll through long documents, pan across large images or swipe to move forward or backward through a collection of web pages or photos. Through conducting usability testing, Apple will be able to access to what extent this mouse achieves those aims and delivers an overall positive user experience. In order for Apple to maintain its competitive edge and reputation for enhanced user experience, a usability test among first-time users will better inform Apple of their users first experience with the new Magic Mouse Multi-Touch technology and identify areas for optimizing usability. Magic Mouse Test Plan 3

4 Problem Statement: Our overall objective is to develop a better understanding of new user experience with the Mac Magic Mouse. To do this, we must focus on four different categories - Intuitive use among users, the ergonomics with using the product, productivity, and the general sentiment during firsttime user experience. Intuitive Use - As stated in our purpose statement, one of the innovations behind the Mac Mouse was to incorporate a form of intuitive quality. Therefore, in order to gain a better understanding of new user experience with this new product, we must test the user s intuition towards the usability of the mouse. This can be defined as how fast it takes the user to understand and learn how to use the mouse. How long does it take for them to figure out the different functions of the mouse? Is it easy or difficult for them to use it once they understand its function? To test for general intuition, we will observe the users performance (looking at both speed and precision) on his/her use of the mouse in several navigation tasks, paying attention specifically to his/her use of the right and left clicks, and the scroll button. Ergonomics - Understanding the ergonomics and comfort of the product is an essential part of the user experience. We must ask, how do users feel when using and holding the mouse? How comfortable is the mouse? Does this increase or decrease their user experience? Will this affect their decision to purchase or not purchase the mouse? To assess this, we need to observe their physical and behavioral interactions with the mouse during the navigational tasks, as well as their post-survey questionnaire. Productivity - This is defined and can be assessed by how quickly the users use the mouse to accomplish the list of tasks. As part of the user experience, we want to understand whether the use of the mouse will enhance a user s productivity - will this increase or decrease the time it takes for them to do a task compared to if they did not use the Magic Mouse? And will this increase or decrease in productivity affect the user s decision to use the mouse in the future, and whether they will purchase it. To test this, we can assess the amount of time users take to accomplish basic navigational tasks, making sure to include tasks that encompass the use of the right and left clicks, and the scroll button. We must also pay attention to their think aloud process and post survey questionnaire to see whether they thought they were productive. Magic Mouse Test Plan 4

5 General Sentiment - This is the user s first interactive experience with the mouse, defined as from the time they enter our test to the time they leave. To understand user experience, we need to assess their overall sentiment towards this product after they have had this first encounter, because this will affect whether they will use it again, and whether or not they will purchase it. To assess this, we need to observe his/her think out loud process when accomplishing the navigation tasks, paying particular attention to either increases or decreases throughout their process, and to possibly assess the difference between the initial sentiment and ending sentiment after completing the test. Magic Mouse Test Plan 5

6 User profile: The Magic Mouse usability test will include 8-10 qualified users. These groups will provide their user experiences on the Magic Mouse through the completion of defined tasks. We will recruit these participants by using our social networks, such as a Facebook messages and mass to reach out to our professional and academic colleagues. From March 29th through the first week of April, we will contact each selected participant to schedule a time and date to conduct the usability test in mid April. We will divide participants equally under the three following groups: Heavy Mouse Users by Profession: We want to choose users that already use Mac products and who are familiar with Mac s interface to test their ability to familiarize themselves to the new product without having difficulties of navigation on the Mac interface. We have chosen to recruit illustrators, designers, and artist that rely heavily in the use of the mouse. Mac Users by Experience: Non-Mac Users We will identify PC users and test them to determined time and intuition to familiarize themselves to the new mouse and to Mac products. Mac Users: We will recruit students and different professionals in different fields that already use Mac products and test their ability to familiarize themselves to the new Magic Mouse giving the test plan productivity information. By reaching out to these three groups of users, we will have a better understanding of the user experience of the new mouse for three different markets. Industry professionals that generally rely on using their mouse for their everyday tasks will provide more accurate information on how the mouse impacts their user experience, while the population of non-industry professionals that use the Mac will be able to provide their input through a different perspective. Finally, by also testing non-mac users, Apple will be able to assess how to best broaden its market reach to attract traditionally PC users through a well-informed understanding of their user experience with Magic Mouse. From March 29th through April 16th, we will contact each selected participant to schedule a time and date to conduct the usability test. Magic Mouse Test Plan 6

7 Methods (Test Design): Our usability design will consist of an assessment test to assess the user experience with the new design of the Magic Mouse. The assessment method we will be using is the Think Aloud method that will consist of specific questions we ask users, and the post-test questionnaire. In the Think Aloud portion of the test, we will capture the users thoughts while conducting the tasks. We will instruct the user to tell us verbally their thoughts, observations and their running commentary regarding their emotions while conducting the test. By documenting their stream of consciousness, we will be able to capture the users direct observations to better assess the gap between users conceptual model and actual model. The verbal Think Aloud process will be one of our main sources of data in the test. Additional sources of data will be gathered by measuring the time users take to complete tasks with the mouse and the post-test questionnaire. The post-test questionnaire will target questions that aim to gather the general sentiment towards the product; this includes how they felt while participating in the testing, as well as their overall user-experience at the test s completion and their sentiment towards purchasing this product. It is estimated that the usability test will take each participant approximately 35 minutes to complete. Introduction: 5 minutes Pre-Test Questionnare: 5 minutes Execution of Tasks: 15 minutes Post-test Questionnarre: 5 minutes Debriefing/Questions/ Thank you: 5 minutes *See Appendix Sections for test protocol and pre-test & post-test questionnaires Magic Mouse Test Plan 7

8 Task List: The tasks below will test the following elements: Intuitive, ergonomics, productivity, general sentiments. Instead of creating a task for each element, the usability of this product will be best assessed through have a few targeted tasks that encompass several elements - Navigation (We will start at a familiar website by most people, in this case we will use CNN.com. Navigation will help us test Intuition and Sentiment) 1: Navigate the home page to the world tab 2: Navigate from the world tab to living and click on the one of the latest living stories 3: Navigate back to the home page. - Scroll ( Scrolling will help us test the ergonomics and Intuition of the Magic Mouse) 1: On the home page scroll down to the bottom of the page and click on the video link 2: On the video page, scroll down to the bottom of the page. Click on the scrolling bar inside the video window and drag down the bar to the bottom of the sub-video page and click on the last video seen. - Copy paste (Copy paste will test productivity ) 1: After you click on the last video from the previous section, you will see a blog link under the video. Click on the blog link and highlight part of the comments you see in the page. After you have highlighted the comments copy paste the information using the mouse on a word document. ( You can copy paste by highlighting, left click copy, left click paste.) 2: In word, please copy half of the information you just paste in and paste it onto a new document. During these tasks, we will be asking/directing the following questions: - What was your thought process - What prompted you to (scroll/right click) - How did you know to do (a specific task/eg. scroll) - How do you feel? Magic Mouse Test Plan 8

9 Test Environment/Equipment In order to perform the usability test we must have the following equipment and test environment.: - Macbook and Magic Mouse - Apartment/Office - Use websites that are familiar to the users so that they won t interfere with the test of the mouse: CNN.com - Microsoft Word Prior to the usability test, users will be notified of the following instructions: 1: Have CNN.com open in another window 2: Have a new document already open in Microsoft Word Magic Mouse Test Plan 9

10 Evaluation and Measures (Data Collection): We will evaluate our usability test using the following measures: Qualitative Measures: 1. Summary and comments from each individual Think Out Loud test 2. Observations of user s comfort level and ease with the product throughout the test 3. Observations of user s general sentiment throughout the test, noting specifically increases and decreases in general sentiment 4. Observation of user s intuitive behavior and productivity throughout the test 5. Any comments indicated in the Post-Survey Questionnaire Quantitative Measures 1. The times measured of specific tasks 2. Data from Pretest questionnaire - Users will be asked to fill out a pretest questionnaire at the start of the test. This is to obtain general data collection of the type of user they are. 3. Data from Post-survey questionnaire - At the end of the test, each user will be asked to fill out a post-survey questionnaire. The survey will encompass the following types of questions: o Several Rating statements on 5 point Likert Scales from poor to excellent o Open ended questions on overall feel and use of the product. o Final questions on whether they will use and/or buy the product *Please see copy of post-survey in appendix C Magic Mouse Test Plan 10

11 Report Contents and Presentation At the end of the usability test, we will deliver a Final Usability Report with all details of the test plan objectives and results on May 3rd, We will then also present and provide feedback based on our findings, including any changes or suggestions that might help further increase the users experience with the mouse, and further optimize the usability of the mouse. The Usability Report will include the following: 1. Results of the Usability Test 2. Data Analysis (both qualitative and quantitative) from the Pre-test and Post-Test Questionnaire 3. Data Analysis from Think Aloud assessment 4. Recommendations regarding Magic Mouse usability optimization 5. A PowerPoint presentation to deliver the usability test results. Magic Mouse Test Plan 11

12 APPENDIX Appendix A: Test Protocol Introduction: a: Thank them for helping with the test. b: Explain why they been chosen to participate on the testing c: Logistics of the testing ( where bathrooms are located,duration of the test) d: Explain they can leave anytime you want e: Show them the websites the test will be conducted on f: Explain briefly computer interface ( for non-mac users) g: Explain working through task while thinking out loud. Protocol for each test question: *During the task scenarios, we will offer a few moments for the users to familiarize themselves with the mouse to mediate intimidations. We will offer reassurance when tasks prove difficult or frustrating, ask participates to clarify their thoughts behind their actions: 1: How long does it take you to recognize how the mouse works? Is it intuitive? What are you finding challenging? 1: Navigate the home page to the world tab 2: Navigate from the world tab to living and click on the one of the latest living stories 3: Navigate back to the home page. 2: How long it takes users to scroll? Does their hands fits the shape of the mouse? Are they feeling comfortable scrolling? a: Scroll down to the bottom of the page and click on the video link b: On the video page, scroll down to the bottom of the page. Click on the scrolling bar inside the video window and drag down the bar to the bottom of the sub-video page and click on the last video seen. Magic Mouse Test Plan 12

13 3: How easy is to copy paste? Are you having difficulties because of the program or because of the mouse? Is it easy to right and left click? a: After you click on the last video from the previous section, you will see a blog link under the video. Click on the blog link and highlight part of the comments you see in the page. After you have highlighted the comments copy paste the information using the mouse on a word document. ( You can copy paste by highlighting, left click copy, left click paste.) b: In word, please copy half of the information you just paste in and paste it onto a new document. Magic Mouse Test Plan 13

14 Appendix B: Pre- Test Questionnaire I: Participant Information Age: Gender: II. Computer Experience 1: Are you currently a Mac user? Yes No a) If yes, for how many years? (Answer Box) b) How many Mac products do we own? Please also state which products. (Answer Box) c) If no, what are 2-3 reasons for not using Mac products? (Answer Box) 2: How often do you use the mouse on your computer? Never Rarely, Sometimes, Often, or Always? (put in scale) 3: What is your general sentiment towards the ease of usability of Mac products? (answer box) Magic Mouse Test Plan 14

15 Appendix C: Online Post Test Questionnaire I. Participant Information: 1) What is your Gender? Male Female 2) What is your Age? 3) What is your current occupation? 4) How do you rate your general comfort level with Computers? Not comfortable Very Comfortable II. User Experience Please indicate how strongly you agree or disagree with the following statements: The Magic Mouse was easy to learn how to use Agree Strongly Disagree The functions of the Magic Mouse was clear and intuitive Agree Strongly Disagree I was comfortable using the Magic Mouse Agree Strongly Disagree It was easy to navigate using the Magic Mouse Agree Strongly Disagree I found the Magic Mouse productive and efficient Agree Strongly Disagree Magic Mouse Test Plan 15

16 I would use the Magic Mouse again Agree Strongly Disagree I would purchase the Magic Mouse Agree Strongly Disagree 6) How did you feel throughout the process of using the Magic Mouse? 7) What are some of the problems (if any) that you found with the Magic Mouse? 8) How would you rate your overall experience with the Magic Mouse? Poor Excellent 9) Do you have any other comments? 10) Based on your experience, how likely would you purchase this product? Poor Excellent Magic Mouse Test Plan 16

17 References: Apple Introduces Magic Mouse The World s First Multi-Touch Mouse. Apple. 20 Oct Web. 27 Mar < World s Most Admired Companies: Apple. Fortune Magazine. 4 Mar Web. 27 Mar < Magic Mouse Test Plan 17