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Unit 9: User Studies

techniques. Intensive interviewing also helps evaluators establish a rapport with the user, which can Notes
be particularly useful when the evaluators intend to use additional user study techniques. Because
intensive interviewing does not need to be performed in the user’s environment, the evaluators do
not have to disrupt that environment, and scheduling may be easier.
Because everyday actions can become automatic, a significant disadvantage of intensive interviewing
is that users will often fail to mention important aspects of what they do. Similar to CFR, evaluators
do not know how much time they will need to spend with each user. In theory, the interview process
stops when the evaluator is not learning much new information. In practice, the interview process
often stops before that point is reached, due to resource and time constraints. Another disadvantage
is that audio transcription is time consuming. As mentioned above, intensive interviewing does not
need to be conducted in the field. Though that has its benefits, it also has disadvantages. When
interviewing is conducted in the field, being in the user’s environment may serve to jog his memory;
for example, he may be more likely to explain how he uses things in his environment. Outside of his
environment, he may neglect to mention that information.

Intensive interviewing can be a good technique to use when combined with
observational techniques. It provides valuable information, but is not comprehensive
enough to be used on its own.

Self Assessment

Fill in the blanks:
1. ...... is a technique for gathering qualitative data by observing and interacting with users as
they go about their normal activities.
2. ...... is a technique for gathering qualitative data by asking users open-ended questions about
their work, background, and ideas.

9.1.3 Usability Testing
Usability testing is a technique for gathering empirical data by observing users as they perform tasks
with the application that is being evaluated. There are several variations of usability testing; we discuss
informal, qualitative studies involving between five and fifteen users per study. Usability testing
may be conducted in the field, but it is more commonly conducted in a usability laboratory where
equipment for recording and observing the sessions is available. The goal of usability testing is to
create an application that is easy to use and provides appropriate functionality for its users. This is
usually done in an iterative process of testing followed by improvement.
Usability testing is inexpensive compared to other observational techniques, and results can be
generated quickly. If testing is conducted in a usability laboratory, an additional benefit not shared
by the other techniques we discuss is that members of the development team can observe the testing
as it takes place.
A significant disadvantage of usability testing is that the testing situation is artificial: even if testing
takes place in the field, both the tasks and situations are contrived. Even if the application tests well
in the study, there is no guarantee that the application will be a success in practice. Another
disadvantage is that, as with CFR, users may alter their behavior because they know they are being
observed.

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