Search and gdesklet videos
We recently ran a test with three search related tasks and two gdesklet related tasks. All of the videos are now on the data page for you to enjoy.
We hope everyone has a Happy Holiday and great New Year.
Articles
XGL Reports
Here are the reports from XGL usability tests we ran a few months ago:
- Turn on an XGL effect
- Use the XGL effect Winder Picker to find the picture of a bug
- Move a window to a different desktop
- Find XGL settings in the Control Center
- Compare two ways XGL can communicate an error
- Discuss the wobble effect
Check out the videos on the data page as well!
New content on betterdesktop.org
We’ve been updating the content of Betterdesktop.org a little at a time, but we aren’t sure if everyone is aware when we put up new videos and reports. From now on, we’re going to add a blog post whenever we add content. If you’re interested in usability (and who isn’t?), please add our RSS feed to your feed reader of choice.
In the past few months, we have tested Hula, Yast/Control Center, XGL, and Ifolder. Each of those have several videos on the data page. Additionaly, we wrote a case study about usability testing Hula.
Usability Basics: Running a Test, 1
The usability test introduction that we use at Novell is below. This introduction is designed as a guideline only; I usually glance at this introduction while I am beginning a test, and use it as an outline. The language of the introduction is very formal because we designed it for use in a corporate environment. You should feel free to change the language so that it feels comfortable to you. Read the rest of this entry »
Usability Basics: Picking Test Subjects
In theory, anyone who is able to understand your tasks and interact with your software prototype could be a test subject for your usability test. However, the biases and experiences of your test subjects will color your results. In practice, you are likely to get the most useful input from people who are actually members of your target audience. Read the rest of this entry »
Usability Basics: Creating Prototypes
After you’ve written the tasks for testing your software, you are ready to make software mockups for your test subject to interact with.These mockups can take many different forms, from low-fidelity sketches, to paper prototypes, to software running on a computer. Read the rest of this entry »
Usability Basics: Writing Tasks
The core of a usability test is the set of tasks that the test subject will be asked to complete during the test. These tasks should be based on operations that someone in the real world might want to use your software to accomplish. Each task should describe a single, concrete action, and should provide the test subject with all of the information she needs to complete it– for example, “Send an email to the trees@ecology.org mailing list.”
Read the rest of this entry »
Usability Basics: Introduction
One of Aesop’s most famous fables is the story of The Lion and The Mouse. Written in the sixth century BCE and circulated across the globe, this story illustrates a point which has stood the test of time, and, which is often overlooked in Linux software developement. Examining this fable and its moral provides a starting point for understanding how usability testing can strengthen desktop Linux. Read the rest of this entry »
Banshee Testing
We will be testing Banshee in the lab next week. The topics we are going to explore include importing music from other sources, connecting to ipods and other handheld devices, and managing playlists.
For these tests, we will be looking for test subjects with a moderate amount of experience using applications similar to Banshee on other operating systems. If you are in the Boston area and would like to participate, contact us at testme@betterdesktop.org.