Moderating Usability Tests

Moderating Usability Tests

by Joseph S. Dumas, Beth A. Loring
Released April 2008
Publisher(s): Morgan Kaufmann
ISBN: 9780080558271

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Book description

Moderating Usability Tests provides insight and guidance for usability testing. To a large extent, successful usability testing depends on the skills of the person facilitating the test. However, most usability specialists still learn how to conduct tests through an apprentice system with little formal training.

This book is the resource for new and experienced moderators to learn about the rules and practices for interacting. Authors Dumas and Loring draw on their combined 40 years of usability testing experience to develop and present the most effective principles and practices – both practical and ethical – for moderating successful usability tests. The videos are available from the publisher's companion web site.

  • Presents the ten “golden rules” that maximize every session’s value
  • Offers targeted advice on how to maintain objectivity
  • Discusses the ethical considerations that apply in all usability testing
  • Explains how to reduce the stress that participants often feel
  • Considers the special requirements of remote usability testing
  • Demonstrates good and bad moderating techniques with laboratory videos accessible from the publisher’s companion web site

Table of contents

  1. Cover (1/2)
  2. Cover (2/2)
  3. Table of contents (1/2)
  4. Table of contents (2/2)
  5. Preface
  6. Acknowledgments
  7. About the Authors
  8. Chapter 1: Introduction
    1. 1.1 WHY THIS BOOK?
    2. 1.2 WHAT IS USABILITY TESTING?
    3. 1.3 THE IMPORTANCE OF MODERATING SKILLS
    4. 1.4 THE GOLDEN RULES OF MODERATING
    5. 1.5 CULTURAL POINTS OF VIEW
    6. 1.6 ABOUT THE SIDEBARS IN THIS BOOK
    7. 1.7 ABOUT THE VIDEOS THAT ACCOMPANY THIS BOOK
    8. 1.8 ABOUT THE COMPANION WEB SITE
  9. Chapter 2: Getting started as a test moderator
    1. 2.1 WHAT MAKES A GREAT MODERATOR?
    2. 2.2 ROLES OF A MODERATOR
    3. 2.3 TESTING LOCATIONS
    4. 2.4 TEST PREPARATION
    5. 2.5 JUMP-STARTING YOUR MODERATING SKILLS
  10. Chapter 3: Golden rules 1 through 5
    1. 3.1 RULE 1: DECIDE HOW TO INTERACT BASED ON THE PURPOSE OF THE TEST
    2. 3.2 RULE 2: PROTECT PARTICIPANTS’ RIGHTS
    3. 3.3 RULE 3: REMEMBER YOUR RESPONSIBILITY TO FUTURE USERS
    4. 3.4 RULE 4: RESPECT THE PARTICIPANTS AS EXPERTS, BUT REMAIN IN CHARGE
    5. 3.5 RULE 5: BE PROFESSIONAL, WHICH INCLUDES BEING GENUINE (1/2)
    6. 3.5 RULE 5: BE PROFESSIONAL, WHICH INCLUDES BEING GENUINE (2/2)
  11. Chapter 4: Golden rules 6 through 10
    1. 4.1 RULE 6: LET THE PARTICIPANTS SPEAK!
    2. 4.2 RULE 7: REMEMBER THAT YOUR INTUITION CAN HURT AND HELP YOU
    3. 4.3 RULE 8: BE UNBIASED
    4. 4.4 RULE 9: DON’T GIVE AWAY INFORMATION INADVERTENTLY
    5. 4.5 RULE 10: WATCH YOURSELF TO KEEP SHARP
  12. Chapter 5: Initial contacts
    1. 5.1 RECRUITING
    2. 5.2 WHEN PARTICIPANTS ARRIVE
    3. 5.3 THE PRETEST BRIEFING
    4. 5.4 TRANSITIONING TO THE TASKS
  13. Chapter 6: Interacting during the session
    1. 6.1 INTERACTING FOR A REASON
    2. 6.2 KEEPING THEM TALKING
    3. 6.3 WHEN AND HOW TO PROBE
    4. 6.4 PROVIDING ENCOURAGEMENT
    5. 6.5 DEALING WITH FAILURE (1/2)
    6. 6.5 DEALING WITH FAILURE (2/2)
    7. 6.6 PROVIDING ASSISTANCE (1/2)
    8. 6.6 PROVIDING ASSISTANCE (2/2)
  14. Chapter 7: Interacting during post-test activities
    1. 7.1 MAINTAINING YOUR ROLES
    2. 7.2 DETERMINING THE ORDER OF ACTIVITIES
    3. 7.3 CLARIFYING THINGS THAT OCCURRED DURING THE TEST
    4. 7.4 ADMINISTERING RATINGS AND QUESTIONNAIRES
    5. 7.5 ASKING OPEN-ENDED QUESTIONS
    6. 7.6 ALLOWING OTHERS TO INTERACT WITH PARTICIPANTS
    7. 7.7 FINAL ACTIVITIES
  15. Chapter 8: Interacting in a remote test session
    1. 8.1 WHAT IS REMOTE TESTING?
    2. 8.2 PREPARING FOR THE SESSION
    3. 8.3 INTERACTING DURING THE SESSION (1/2)
    4. 8.3 INTERACTING DURING THE SESSION (2/2)
  16. Chapter 9: Moderator–participant arrangements
    1. 9.1 A BIT OF HISTORY
    2. 9.2 PHYSICAL ARRANGEMENT
    3. 9.3 BELIEFS ABOUT ARRANGEMENTS
    4. 9.4 CHOICE OF ARRANGEMENT
    5. 9.5 CONSIDERATIONS FOR THE PRACTITIONER
  17. Chapter 10: Interacting with diverse populations
    1. 10.1 GENERAL GUIDELINES
    2. 10.2 PEOPLE WITH PHYSICAL DISABILITIES (1/2)
    3. 10.2 PEOPLE WITH PHYSICAL DISABILITIES (2/2)
    4. 10.3 THE ELDERLY
    5. 10.4 PEOPLE WHO HAVE LOW LITERACY SKILLS
    6. 10.5 CHILDREN AND TEENS
    7. 10.6 PEOPLE FROM OTHER CULTURES
  18. Chapter 11: Integrating the videos
    1. 11.1 ABOUT THE VIDEOS
    2. 11.2 CONTENT OF THE VIDEOS
    3. 11.3 THE FUTURE OF USABILITY TESTING (1/2)
    4. 11.3 THE FUTURE OF USABILITY TESTING (2/2)
  19. References (1/2)
  20. References (2/2)
  21. Index (1/3)
  22. Index (2/3)
  23. Index (3/3)

Product information

  • Title: Moderating Usability Tests
  • Author(s): Joseph S. Dumas, Beth A. Loring
  • Release date: April 2008
  • Publisher(s): Morgan Kaufmann
  • ISBN: 9780080558271