Moderating Usability Tests

128 CHAPTER 9 Moderator–participant arrangements

being biased. Furthermore, they point out that the presence of visitors

in an observation room can be distracting to moderators, drawing

them into conversations that take them away from being effective at

moderating.

Another advantage to being beside participants is that it is easier to

see what they are doing.

A fi nal point is that moderators who believe in physical closeness

talk about the contrast between equality and power. They believe that

the best arrangement for participants and for the quality of the data

is one that fosters equality of roles between moderators and partici-

pants. At least ...