Moderating Usability Tests

76 CHAPTER 6 Interacting during the session

6.4 PROVIDING ENCOURAGEMENT

When poorly designed products are tested, participants make errors,

need assistance, and fail some tasks. Since you likely helped plan the

test and conducted a pilot session, you can probably predict fairly

accurately when participants will struggle with the product. Unfortu-

nately, most participants blame themselves when they struggle, even

when you have told them not to.

Providing encouragement is one way to try to ease the burden on

participants. Encouragement helps keep them motivated to continue.

The way you provide encouragement is important, however, because

you don’t ...