Goal
To determine whether the end-users can easily understand and operate the artefact.
What
A non-functional testing method to measure how easily end–users can use the artefact, in terms of efficiency, effectiveness and satisfaction.
Where
This can be done in a labatory setting controlled by the evaluater. This also can be done in practice. The more practical the better the actual real life input but also more risk for noise in the evaluation.
Who
users, evaluator
How
Describe the users age, gender, their experience, if they have seen this solution or a similar solution. Usability studies could be recorded with video and audio, this could also take away the ‘natural’ behavior.
1. Setting up a walkthrough of steps done by the users.
2. Setting up environment for the study.
3. Creating or using a validated questionnaire (Examples are: SUS questionnaire technology acceptance models or specific questionnaires created within the context of your problem.)
4. Executing usability study
5. Analyzing results (either with statistics structural equation modeling or with method included with validated test.
6. Interpretation of results
Pros
learn about users
discover opportunities
uncover problems
Cons
expensive
difficult to run
selection bias
target group availability
