UPA Boston 2012: My iPhone or Yours? Usability testing on mobile devices

Our humble beginnings: Mobsmart

1. What to do when there’s no prototype

2. Why it’s very important that you shop at work

3. How many participants to include in your study

4. The best way to record a mobile device

5. Who will read your report and watch your highlights videos

These slides cover:

Taken by flickr user Marxpix

Move over, television. There are more mobile phones than TVs.

Taken by flickr user TheeErin

Mobile is about movement – therefore unpredictable.

Taken by flickr user csaila

There are vast differences between mobile devices.

Testing an app? Run a round of testing for each device you support.

Taken by flickr user Jason Unbound

Testing a mobile site? Test 50% more people than you usually would. Roughly 3 per device.

Taken by flickr user Steve Rhodes

http://richardlstansfield.wordpress.com/2011/05/page/2/

Don’t wait for the prototype.Test whatever you have.

Taken by flickr user Tom Hirt

http://gadgetsteria.com/2010/12/14/att-sprint-and-verizon-talk-shared-data-plans/pile-of-smartphones/

http://richardlstansfield.wordpress.com/2011/05/page/2/

Test sites with similar goals as your site, even if they’re not competitors.

http://gadgetsteria.com/2010/12/14/att-sprint-and-verizon-talk-shared-data-plans/pile-of-smartphones/

http://richardlstansfield.wordpress.com/2011/05/page/2/

Possible pitfalls of testing wireframes on a phone (Using the photo gallery to display them)

1. Screenshots that look good on one device, won’t look good on all of your devices.

2. Phones fall asleep and require lots of power if you want to keep them on for the whole test.

3. If users touch the screen, gallery options show and can be confusing to participants.

Testing can be formal in style and setting…Bentley University Design and Testing Center c. 2008

Taken by flickr user Shopify

…or more informal.

Up close and personal. Be aware that mobile testing requires you get very close to the participant.

Taken by flickr user lucamascaro

Warm ups aren’t just for athletes. Warm up your participants to make sure they can use the devices.

Taken by flickr user leeander

Pre-test questions can be just as important as the test itself.

Taken by flickr user Mesq

Don’t just ask – capture answers and responses.Template design courtesy of Dan Berlin, Mad*Pow

How do you record a mobile device? This looks uncomfortable.

Taken by flickr user mdiazphoto

How do you keep the device in the camera view? CX Partners uses the post-it method.

http://www.cxpartners.co.uk/cxblog/ipad_app_ux_testing_observations_from_the_field/

Most adorable testing set-up, by Objective Digitalhttp://blog.objectivedigital.com/diy-document-camera-for-mobile-testing-record

Kaden Rushford built his solution: Attach the camera to the device. Light, portable, and captures the users’ movements.

http://kad3n.com/portfolio/

Want.Kirk Henry’s design for Lokion Interactive

http://www.90percentofeverything.com/2010/11/15/more-mobile-usability-testing-sleds/

Mr. Tappy! A great alternative to DIY mobile usability test sleds.

Be prepared to take lots of notes. Technology can fail and those notes will be important.

Taken by flickr user Dr Stephen Dann

Write reports people will actually read – Make them visual.

http://lorrainepaterson.wordpress.com/2010/11/12/ux2-0-usability-test-report/

Eat This, Not That! Use this as inspiration for your reports.

eatthis.menshealth.com

Design this, not that!

Every test tells a story; with a beginning and an end

Old EBSCOhost mobile siteNew EBSCOhost site

(launching Summer 2012)

1. Don’t wait for a prototype

2. Find sites that are like yours

3. Increase your sample size by 40-50%

4. Make a mobile testing sled

5. Capture and record, even though no one will watch (except maybe the CIO)