Article by David Bomphrey

Usability Evaluations can be carried out almost anywhere using little or no equipment other than that needed to run the application that is being tested. So why bother paying the extra and having your testing carried out in specialised Usability Laboratories using advanced equipment and monitoring facilities? Well the answer, as one might expect from Usability Specialists, is both simple and complex.

The simple answer is that you get a larger number of findings and more certainty that the findings you have are accurate. Another aspect is that the client and all the stakeholders get a fantastic opportunity to observe members of their target audience actually using their site, service or software to complete common tasks. This can be a huge eye opener for the team and will often reveal activity that ends internal debate about usage.

The more complex answer gives further insight as to why this is the case.

A purpose-built Usability Lab provides a controlled yet realistic environment for testing applications and other products. It allows many of the variables, such as outside interruption and technology differences to be controlled. By controlling them they can be accounted for, and their impact assessed. This will allow some analysis of the impact of these variables to take place. This insight into the product would be discussed in any final report where assessment of these variables was included in the original project brief. The findings can then be reported to the client. This would be extremely difficult to achieve under different circumstances and so the benefit in this case is two fold:

Another benefit of lab testing is the removal of distractions. In the real world or when testing outside a lab, participants and in some cases moderators can be distracted from the testing they are carrying out. This could be by telephone calls, email or questions from other staff. There is also the potential that participants can be "put off" or feel under pressure to respond in certain ways when they are not at an independent location. Creating a relaxed and independent environment will increase the number of findings and help to ensure that each finding is factually correct.

When testing in a lab environment the moderator and the company leading the testing is also generally supported by technology. This would normally be audio and video recording. There are multiple benefits to this procedure and it may not be possible to create such a record in other environments.

The first benefit of video recording is that no matter how good a moderator may be, without it, they simply will not be able to record every single comment, facial expression and interaction a user may make. The power of a video recording is that the moderator can go back after the event and double check the notes they made to ensure that they haven't missed any significant factors. The recording will also allow other interested parties to see the recording of the test and if necessary for the evaluation to be reassessed to gain further insights into the product than was initially reported. A third benefit of video recording is that a highlights tape of users failing to complete certain sections of a task will provide a perfect illustration of why recommendations for changes can be made and should be implemented.

Usability testing labs also provide viewing facilities. The value of this cannot be underestimated. The ability for stakeholders to watch users stumbling over sections of a product that are close to their heart may be painful but should inform good designers and businesses with solid reasons for changing their products.

The Usability Company has two brand new, purpose built labs to control all the above-mentioned parameters. They are fully sound proofed and allow clients to hear and observe exactly what is happening in the test room, via multiple remote monitors with picture in picture capability and a hi-fi sound system. You don't have to take our word for the benefits, come and watch for yourselves!

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