Comments on: Usability test tasks to avoid http://www.goodusability.co.uk/2008/10/usability-test-tasks-to-avoid/ Wed, 28 Jul 2010 11:54:50 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0 By: David Hamill http://www.goodusability.co.uk/2008/10/usability-test-tasks-to-avoid/comment-page-1/#comment-718 David Hamill Tue, 03 Mar 2009 19:58:25 +0000 http://www.goodusability.co.uk/?p=111#comment-718 Hi Alice, I would recommend some interview based tasks instead. So before they even see the website, you interview the participant about the subject matter. You want to find out from them what they would want to do with the site. This becomes your first task. Be sure to agree with them beforehand what needs to happen for the task to be a success. You can usually create a few tasks like this that have the benefit of being more real for the participant. If you want to follow up the first task by asking the participant what they would want to do next, then this is fine. But you need to agree a purpose or they will go into play mode. It's a good idea to quickly switch the monitor of when creating that follow up task. Otherwise they might just aimlessly create fantasy tasks based on what's in front of them. Hi Alice, I would recommend some interview based tasks instead. So before they even see the website, you interview the participant about the subject matter. You want to find out from them what they would want to do with the site. This becomes your first task. Be sure to agree with them beforehand what needs to happen for the task to be a success. You can usually create a few tasks like this that have the benefit of being more real for the participant.

If you want to follow up the first task by asking the participant what they would want to do next, then this is fine. But you need to agree a purpose or they will go into play mode. It’s a good idea to quickly switch the monitor of when creating that follow up task. Otherwise they might just aimlessly create fantasy tasks based on what’s in front of them.

]]> By: alice http://www.goodusability.co.uk/2008/10/usability-test-tasks-to-avoid/comment-page-1/#comment-716 alice Tue, 03 Mar 2009 19:40:23 +0000 http://www.goodusability.co.uk/?p=111#comment-716 Re your comment on free browse as first task, what would you think if I have my first specific task for the user, and upon completion, i allow him to spend a couple of minutes to 'explore' the site? My key objective is to observe how a user will be more inclined to do next - whether he will sign up, read FAQ, go homepage again to read about the service etc. every act and how he gets there is a learning point for us. Re your comment on free browse as first task, what would you think if I have my first specific task for the user, and upon completion, i allow him to spend a couple of minutes to ‘explore’ the site? My key objective is to observe how a user will be more inclined to do next – whether he will sign up, read FAQ, go homepage again to read about the service etc. every act and how he gets there is a learning point for us.

]]> By: Ryan Kennedy http://www.goodusability.co.uk/2008/10/usability-test-tasks-to-avoid/comment-page-1/#comment-227 Ryan Kennedy Mon, 23 Feb 2009 23:11:13 +0000 http://www.goodusability.co.uk/?p=111#comment-227 Do people really do these in tests? How pointless. Set them to work! Tasks, tasks, tasks! Do people really do these in tests? How pointless. Set them to work! Tasks, tasks, tasks!

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