From kde-usability  Sat Jun 29 20:18:15 2002
From: Irwin K <emerald-arcana () rogers ! com>
Date: Sat, 29 Jun 2002 20:18:15 +0000
To: kde-usability
Subject: Re: Request for Update: Lauri and her Users?
X-MARC-Message: https://marc.info/?l=kde-usability&m=102538189511140

On Friday 28 June 2002 11:15 pm, Aaron J. Seigo wrote:
> On June 29, 2002 12:00, Irwin K wrote:
> > Did anyone send to her a "template" or a "plan" for her to conduct a
> > usability study with?
>
> no.. i was supposed to but then i got felled by this flu... i'm finally
> both feeling better today AND (mostly) caught up w/work ... so i was go=
ing
> to put together stuff this weekend myself... but please, feel free to r=
un
> with it ...
>
> oh, and i think i agree w/everything you said in your email =3D)

I'm running into a slight problem here:

It's very difficult for me to conceptualize the usefulness of a usability=
 test=20
if no one will be there with the user to guide them through the testing=20
process.

=46rom the schedule that you posted (here's the repost):


 1) a few systems out on the warehouse floor for the staff that works the=
re.
they will print things out from a custom app and check email. basically t=
hey
spend a few minutes here or there using the systems throughout the day.


It might be better for the users not to follow a set "task list" if this =
is=20
not necessarily a directed, "Someone sit down and use this for ten minute=
s"=20
kind of test.  If this is more like a, "Here's a system that we've set up=
,=20
use it" situation, it would be better to have a "guidelines" sheet tellin=
g=20
employees what to look for and what to remember, and then they'll answer =
the=20
questions in the sheet and provide comments when they are finished.


 2) 3-4 weeks from now the office staffers and sales personel get linux
desktops w/KDE. these people do word processing (kword) and spreadsheets
(probably gnumeric for now) along with the standard email/web stuff


Here, it would make more sense to do a task list, since these employees w=
ork=20
more with computers.  You might also be able to convice Lauri that asking=
=20
users to take 15 minutes to perform the test can serve as a familiarizati=
on. =20
In addition the questionaire can be provided to their own management/IT=20
department to evaluate how the users reacted to the system.

In a way, this is just as much as THEIR test as it is ours.  I'm sure tha=
t=20
their company a vested interest if we conduct a test because they can loo=
k at=20
the same test to see if KDE is beneficial for their workplace.

--=20
-- Arcana  (Irwin)
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