Here, there, anywhere: remote usability testing that works

  • Authors:

  • Katherine E. Thompson;Evelyn P. Rozanski;Anne R. Haake

  • Affiliations:

  • Rochester Institute of Technology, Rochester, NY;Rochester Institute of Technology, Rochester, NY;Rochester Institute of Technology, Rochester, NY

  • Venue:
  • CITC5 '04 Proceedings of the 5th conference on Information technology education
  • Year:
  • 2004

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Abstract

Usability testing is regarded as a key element in user-centered design. Several studies from the Standish Group have shown that usability testing increases the chance of developing usable software. Companies are faced with many challenges: their customers demand usable products at reasonable costs and the customer base is distributed and diverse. Unfortunately, usability testing is often perceived as impractical due to the remote and distributed location of users, limited access to representative users, or a work context that is difficult to reproduce in a laboratory setting. Additionally, for some companies, the cost of transporting users or developers to remote locations can be prohibitive. Interest in remote usability testing has grown in response to these concerns. As the user advocate, the Information Technology student needs to be provided not only with hands-on experience in usability testing, but also with its nuances. These include an understanding of the wide range of formats and options available such as remote usability testing. Moreover, a remote format may be a solution for universities that do not have the resources to set up formal laboratories. There is a need to understand how best to facilitate remote testing in a classroom environment. The focus of our study was to identify appropriate tools and define methodologies for efficient and effective remote testing environments. We investigated commercial tools to determine their usefulness and cost-effectiveness for the classroom and then conducted an empirical study to compare traditional and remote usability testing of a web site using one of these tools. This paper will report on advantages and disadvantages of various remote testing tools, modifications to procedures and protocols of traditional testing, and the project findings, including usability problem identification, which establish the effectiveness of remote usability testing. Recommendations will be made for providing a credible environment for remote testing.