Task-Centered User Interface Design
A Practical Introduction
by Clayton Lewis and John Rieman
Copyright ©1993, 1994: Please see the "shareware notice" at the front of the book.
Contents | Foreword | ProcessUsers&Tasks | Design | Inspections | User-testing | Tools |Documentation |

5.1 Choosing Users to Test
5.2 Selecting Tasks for Testing
5.3 Providing a System for Test Users to Use
5.4 Deciding What Data to Collect
5.5 The Thinking Aloud Method
        5.5.1 Instructions
        5.5.2 The Role of the Observer
        5.5.3 Recording
        5.5.4 Summarizing the Data
        5.5.5 Using the Results
5.6 Measuring Bottom-Line Usability
        5.6.1 Analyzing the Bottom-Line Numbers
        5.6.2 Comparing Two Design Alternatives
5.7 Details of Setting Up a Usability Study
        5.7.1 Choosing the Order of Test Tasks
        5.7.2 Training Test Users
        5.7.3 The Pilot Study
        5.7.4 What If Someone Doesn't Complete a Task?
        5.7.5 Keeping Variability Down
        5.7.6 Debriefing Test Users

Prev 5.7.3 The Pilot Study Next 5.7.5 Keeping Variability Down


5.7.4 What If Someone Doesn't Complete a Task?




If you are collecting bottom-line numbers, one problem you will very probably encounter is that not everybody completes their assigned task or tasks within the available time, or without help from you. What do you do? There is no complete remedy for the problem. A reasonable approach is to assign some very large time, and some very large number of errors, as the "results" for these people. Then take the results of your analysis with an even bigger grain of salt than usual.











Copyright © 1993,1994 Lewis & Rieman







Contents | Foreword | ProcessUsers&Tasks | Design | Inspections | User-testing | Tools |Documentation |