PTO-Usability Testing Feedback for USPTO Next Generation Initiatives

Facilitator Guide – Usability Test

• Web browser should be open to Google or some other “neutral” page

Hi, ___________. My name is ___________, and I’m going to be walking you through this session today.

Before we begin, I have some information for you, and I’m going to read it to make sure that I cover everything.

You probably already have a good idea of why we asked you here, but let me go over it again briefly. We’re asking people to try using an application that we’re working on so we can see whether it works as intended. The session should take about two hours.

The first thing I want to make clear right away is that we’re testing the application, not you. You can’t do anything wrong here. In fact, this is probably the one place today where you don’t have to worry about making mistakes.

As you use the application, I’m going to ask you as much as possible to try to think out loud: to say what you’re looking at, what you’re trying to do, and what you’re thinking. This will be a big help to us.

Also, please don’t worry that you’re going to hurt our feelings. We’re doing this to improve the site, so we need to hear your honest reactions.

If you have any questions as we go along, just ask them. I may not be able to answer them right away, since we’re interested in how people do when they don’t have someone sitting next to them to help. But if you still have any questions when we’re done I’ll try to answer them then. And if you need to take a break at any point, just let me know.

You may have noticed the microphone. With your permission, we’re going to record what happens on the screen and our conversation. The recording will only be used to help us figure out how to improve the site, and it won’t be seen by anyone except the people working on this project. And it helps me, because I don’t have to take as many notes.

IF THERE ARE OTHERS PRESENT IN OBSERVATION ROOM:

Also, there are a few people observing this session in another room. (They can’t see us, just the screen.)

If you would, I’m going to ask you to sign a simple permission form for us. It just says that we have your permission to record you, and that the recording will only be seen by the people working on the project.

• Give them the Audio and Video Recording Consent form and a pen (or obtain verbal consent if they are remote)

• While they sign it, START the SCREEN RECORDER

Do you have any questions so far?

OK. Before we look at the application, I’d like to ask you just a few quick questions.

First, what’s your occupation? What do you do all day?

Now, roughly how many hours a week altogether—just a ballpark estimate— would you say you spend using the Internet, including Web browsing and email, at work and at home?

And what’s the split between email and browsing—a rough percentage?

What kinds of sites are you looking at when you browse the Web?

Do you have any favorite Web sites?

OK, great. We’re done with the questions, and we can start looking at things.

• Click on the bookmark for the site’s Home page.

First, I’m going to ask you to look at this page and tell me what you make of it: what strikes you about it, whose site you think it is, what can you do here, and what the site is for. Just look around and do a little narrative.

You can scroll if you want to, but don’t click on anything yet.

• Allow this to continue for three or four minutes, at most.

Thanks. Now I’m going to ask you to try doing some specific tasks. I’m going to read each one out loud and give you a printed copy.

I’m also going to ask you to do these tasks without using Search. We’ll learn a lot more about how well the site works that way.

And again, as much as possible, it will help us if you can try to think out loud as you go along.

• Hand the participant the first scenario, and read it aloud.

• Allow the user to proceed until you feel like it’s not producing any value or the user becomes very frustrated.

• Repeat for each task or until time runs out.

Thanks, that was very helpful.

Now, based on the activities you went through today, please fill out this multiple choice questionnaire describing your experience.

• Hand the participant the System Usability Scale

If you’ll excuse me for a minute, I’m just going to see if the people on the team have any follow-up questions they’d like me to ask you.

• Call the observation room to see if the observers have any questions.

• After the participant fills out the System Usability Scale, ask the observer’s questions, then probe anything you want to follow up on.

• If they have not been answered yet, ask some or all of the questions on the Participant Feedback form.

Do you have any questions for me, now that we’re done?

Thank you for your feedback today, it is much appreciated. Before you go, would you be interested in participating in another feedback session at a later date?

• Stop the screen recorder and save the file.

• Thank them and escort them out.