USABILITY TEST PLAN TEAM MIKE / GROUP 2: Rafael Flores Mike Wesolowski Mike Wilson Michael Correa Kasey Thompson Dave Castleton

USABILITY TEST PLAN TEAM MIKE / GROUP 2: Rafael Flores Mike Wesolowski Mike Wilson Michael Correa Kasey Thompson Dave Castleton

CONTENTS Table of Contents...2 Executive Summary...3 Methodology...4 Test Script...5 Post Task Questions...7 Post Test Questions...9 Project Contributions...10 Group Members, Responsibilities Team Mike: Curb Appeal 2

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Curb Appeal connects smart phone users in search of a quick meal with food truck and food stand vendors by allowing them to discover, interact, and locate street food eateries around a specified city with an easy and intuitive application. In this stage of the development life cycle we will be performing usability testing. To fully prepare for this step in the user centered design process we have created an electronic version of our proposed prototype. This prototype will be used by select testers in our closed environment to get a better understanding of the relationship the user may have with our product. This provides important feedback that only an independent, and more importantly fresh mind, can supply. Creating a usable prototype is not the only requirement in this design phase. As demonstrated by this document, there are many important steps in preparing for a usability study - even if informal. This document will outline the fundamental methodologies that were selected to be used for the testing including the Test Script. The Test Script is a document which contains a pre-planned speech that will be read to the participants in preparation of the testing. Not only does it inform the users of possible testing protocols but also of the tasks required of them. In addition, the following document will provide post task and post test questions for the participants to be asked to better understand specific aspects of the prototype from the eyes of a naive user. Team Mike: Curb Appeal 3

METHODOLOGY Overview Curb Appeal is being designed for both new and experienced smart phones users by incorporating a simple user interface along with familiar iphone navigation gestures. The focus of the usability test will be on three simple tasks, which the user will have to complete. The tasks will consist of the user finding the menu for a food venue in his/her vicinity, receiving directions to a venue, and to adding his/her venue to a favorite list. Regarding the methodology of the usability test, it was decided to create a high-fidelity prototype. Low-fidelity prototyping such as storyboarding, sketching, index cards and the Wizard of Oz method were considered but not chosen for this usability test. Participants A total of 6 participants will be used; 4 men and 2 women. Participants completing this test will be between 20-40 years of age, and are familiar with using mobile applications. Test Environment The test will take place on May 11th at 6pm in classroom 1216 located at 1 East Jackson Blvd, Chicago, Illinois. The test will be taken on a laptop with both the subject and experimenter present. Test Design The study will be conducted one participant at a time. Each participant will be given a short introduction to the application and usability test, and then asked to complete the 3 tasks: 1. Find a food vendor s menu in his/her vicinity 2. Get directions to a venue of his/her choice 3. Add his/her venue to a favorite list The test will be qualitative, informal and will incorporate think-aloud protocol. This being the first prototype, it was decided that an informal qualitative approach would generate the most subject-generated feedback while the test is taking place. This provides the subject an easy method of providing feedback that is also accurate and in real time. Using these methods also provides the experimenter the opportunity to document the subject s experience while they use the application, and not at a later time. After each task, the experimenter will debrief the subject on what had occurred, what could be improved, what worked well and what did not. The subject will also be asked questions after all 3 tasks are complete. During the tests, data will be collected in note form by the experimenter, which will then be transcribed into a word document at a later date. Each session is likely to take 10-15 minutes, and with 6 total sessions, the entire usability test phase will take approximately 70 minutes to complete. Team Mike: Curb Appeal 4

TEST SCRIPT Experimenter: Thank you for participating in this usability study. Tonight we are evaluating a smart phone app that is designed to assist people in finding street food vendors (i.e. trucks and stands). The results of our study will help us improve the application s design and overall effectiveness. We are not evaluating you or your performance. We are simply trying to make the application more usable and find any obstacles that would hinder a potential user. We will ask you to complete a few tasks with the application. You will also be asked to think-aloud as you navigate your way through the process. Work on each task at a pace that is normal and comfortable for you. When you feel like you ve finished the task tell me you are done. I ll ask you a few questions before we move to the next task. We will be videotaping what appears on the computer screen. What you say will also be recorded. You are free to quit at any point during this study if you so choose. As an evaluator I am here to gather as much information as possible. At times I may answer your questions with a question but during our debrief I will answer any questions you may have about the application. Do you have any questions before we begin? So let s get started. Team Mike: Curb Appeal 5

TEST SCRIPT Task 1: Find a vendor s menu 1. Explain task to participant: You have decided to try getting lunch from a food truck here in Chicago. After finding and downloading Curb Appeal you decide to see what types of food trucks are in the area. Find a food truck and see what type of food they have on the menu. 2. Instruct participant to begin 3. Post Task questions Task 2: Get directions to a vendor 1. Explain task to participant: You ve heard some of the best sandwiches in town are sold by local food trucks. Find out where a sandwich food truck is currently located and get directions to its location. 2. Instruct participant to begin 3. Post Task questions Task 3: New user favorites a vendor 1. Explain task to participant: After downloading Curb Appeal, you discover that a truck stops down the street from your office that sells food you love to eat. Open the app again, find a vendor and favorite it to get updates on specials and new menu items. 2. Instruct participant to begin 3. Post Task questions Team Mike: Curb Appeal 6

POST TASK QUESTIONS Experimenter: Post Task #1 Questions - Find a vendor s menu 1. How easy or difficult was it to find the menu, and was it where you expected it to be? If not, where would you expect to find it? 2. On the full vendor profile screen, did the buttons to toggle between vendor information immediately grab your attention? Were the buttons big enough, and were they located in an intuitive place on the screen? 3. After you chose a vendor icon on the home screen, does the populated content represent information about a venue that is important at a glance? Is any information missing, and is there anything displayed that seems unnecessary? Experimenter: Post Task #2 Questions - Get directions to a vendor 1. Could you describe your thought process while trying to find directions? How difficult or easy was it to navigate the application to complete the task? 2. Did you feel frustrated at any point while trying to find directions? If so, what was a source of your frustration? What would you do to fix it? 3. Was it confusing or straightforward that touching the Get Directions button took you to Google maps for the step-by-step directions? Would you change how the button functions? Team Mike: Curb Appeal 7

POST TASK QUESTIONS Experimenter: Post Task #3 Questions - New user favorites a vendor 1. Did you feel frustrated at anytime while trying to favorite a vendor? If so, at what point did you feel frustrated? What would you change to ease the frustration? 2. What did you expect to happen when you pressed the Favorite button? 3. If you were an actual user of this application, and not specifically asked to complete this task, would you fill out the registration form in order to favorite the truck? If not, is there anything we could change about the registration form that would encourage you to complete the task? Team Mike: Curb Appeal 8

POST TEST QUESTIONS Experimenter: Post Test Questions 1. If you were on the street in downtown Chicago looking for something to eat, what are the top three functions you would use in this application? 2. Was the navigation intuitive? Were there any buttons that confused you due to their placement or label? 3. Were there any buttons or options that you had trouble finding? Were there any features that you felt needed to be easier to find? Where would you have placed these features to make them more accessible? Optional Questions: 1. Tell me what happened when [cite problem/excessive time]. 2. What was the best thing about the Curb Appeal interface? 3. What was the worst thing about the Curb Appeal interface? Team Mike: Curb Appeal 9

PROJECT CONTRIBUTIONS TEAM MIKE ASSIGNMENTS & PARTICIPATION Dave Castleton Compilation, Prototype Design Michael Correa Test Script Rafael Flores Project Manager, Prototype Design and Programming Kasey Thompson Executive Summary Mike Wesolowski Methodology Mike Wilson Post Task, Post Test Questions Overall Participation: The team conferred about Assignment #4 over one meeting and two Skype conference calls about one hour in length. Each team member discussed, viewed, and critiqued every portion of the project during each call. All members supported a collaborative effort in reviewing each individual s contributions online. In addition, minutes describing attendees, events, issues and related decisions were recorded and issued to participants after every meeting. Team Mike: Curb Appeal 10