9.1 - Designing Feedback Instruments

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Usability Survey Design

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Teacher
Teacher

Today, we will discuss how to design usability surveys that collect useful feedback. A well-designed survey can help you understand user satisfaction. Who can remind us what a Likert-scale question is?

Student 1
Student 1

Itโ€™s a scale that allows users to express their level of agreement or satisfaction!

Teacher
Teacher

Exactly! For instance, you could ask users to rate 'the clarity of the design guidelines' on a scale of 1 to 5. This quantitative data is crucial for analysis. Can anyone suggest how we could structure these questions?

Student 2
Student 2

We could include specific elements like clarity, aesthetics, and ease of use.

Teacher
Teacher

Perfect! Remember, clear and concise questions lead to more reliable feedback. Let's summarize: effective usability surveys must utilize Likert scales and focus on key aspects like clarity and aesthetics.

Task Observation Methodology

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Teacher
Teacher

Now letโ€™s explore Task Observation, another powerful feedback instrument. Why do you think we observe users while they interact with the design?

Student 3
Student 3

To see how they actually use the interface instead of just asking them!

Teacher
Teacher

Exactly! Observing users reveals their interaction patterns, errors, and time taken. What are some key metrics we should record during these observations?

Student 4
Student 4

We should track the time users take to complete tasks and the number of errors they make.

Teacher
Teacher

Great points! Recording both qualitative and quantitative data gives us a comprehensive view of usability. Recall that the goal is to uncover usability blockers. Letโ€™s summarize: Task Observations allow us to collect valuable data beyond what users might verbally express.

Feedback Synthesis Methods

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Teacher
Teacher

After collecting feedback, how do we determine which issues to address first?

Student 1
Student 1

We can use Affinity Mapping to group similar feedback!

Teacher
Teacher

Exactly! After mapping, whatโ€™s the next step?

Student 2
Student 2

We need to prioritize the issues with a Priority Matrix.

Teacher
Teacher

Correct! The Priority Matrix helps us focus on critical issues that affect usability rather than just 'nice to have' improvements. So, remember: synthesize your feedback first and then prioritize!

Introduction & Overview

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Quick Overview

This section focuses on the creation of effective feedback instruments that aid in user experience research and iterative design processes.

Standard

In this section, readers will learn the importance of designing usable feedback instruments, such as usability surveys and task observations, to gather formative feedback that can drive design improvements. The section highlights key methodologies and best practices for collecting and synthesizing user feedback effectively.

Detailed

Designing Feedback Instruments

Feedback plays a critical role in the iterative design process, allowing designers to refine their work based on real-world user interactions. This section emphasizes two main types of feedback instruments: Usability Surveys and Task Observations.

  1. Usability Survey: A structured approach employing Likert-scale questions to gauge users' perspectives on clarity, aesthetics, and ease of use. This quantitative data helps identify areas for improvement.
  2. Task Observation: This method involves observing users as they complete specific tasks with the prototype. Metrics such as the time taken and number of errors are recorded to assess usability in practical scenarios.

The section concludes with the importance of synthesizing this feedback through methods like Affinity Mapping and the Priority Matrix to prioritize issues that hinder usability and to inform subsequent design iterations.

Audio Book

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Usability Survey

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Usability Survey: Likert-scale questions on clarity, aesthetics, ease-of-use.

Detailed Explanation

A usability survey is a tool used to gather user feedback on their experience with a product. This survey typically includes Likert-scale questions, which allow users to express their level of agreement or satisfaction on a scale (e.g., from 1 to 5). For example, you might ask users to rate how clear they find the design, how visually appealing they think it is, and how easy they find it to navigate. The surveys help in identifying specific areas that are strong and those that require improvement.

Examples & Analogies

Imagine you're hosting a dinner party, and after the meal, you ask your guests to fill out a feedback form on the food, ambiance, and service. The Likert-scale questions help them rate each aspect of their experience. The feedback you receive allows you to know what worked well and what you might want to change for your next party.

Task Observation

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Task Observation: Ask test users to complete defined tasks; record time and errors.

Detailed Explanation

Task observation involves watching real users as they attempt to complete specific tasks using your prototype. During this observation, you record important metrics like how long it takes them to finish a task and any errors they encounter. This direct observation can reveal difficulties users face that might not be highlighted in surveys. It provides valuable insights into how intuitive or confusing your design is from a user's perspective.

Examples & Analogies

Think of a driving instructor observing a student during their driving test. As the student navigates the routes, the instructor notes how quickly the student makes decisions, errors they make, and their overall efficiency. This observation helps in understanding the student's driving skills and identifying areas they need to improve, just as observing users can illuminate how effectively they can use your design.

Definitions & Key Concepts

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Key Concepts

  • Usability Survey: A structured approach to gather user feedback using Likert scales.

  • Task Observation: Involves watching users complete tasks to observe interaction patterns and identify usability issues.

  • Affinity Mapping: Helps organize feedback by grouping similar comments.

  • Priority Matrix: A tool that helps prioritize collected feedback based on criticality.

Examples & Real-Life Applications

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Examples

  • Designing a survey with questions such as 'How clear did you find the navigation buttons?' using a 1 to 5 scale for responses.

  • Using task observation to test how long it takes a user to add an item to their cart and noting any errors.

Memory Aids

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๐ŸŽต Rhymes Time

  • To gather feedback with care, create a survey thatโ€™s fair. Observe tasks, recording true, to help design a better view.

๐Ÿ“– Fascinating Stories

  • Imagine a designer named Alex who carefully watched users as they attempted to use their new app. Each error corrected guided Alex's improvements, much like stars leading a ship home.

๐Ÿง  Other Memory Gems

  • SOP: Survey, Observe, Prioritize - a step by step for your design feedback.

๐ŸŽฏ Super Acronyms

F.I.R.S.T

  • Feedback Instruments

Flash Cards

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Glossary of Terms

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  • Term: Usability Survey

    Definition:

    A structured questionnaire that uses Likert-scale questions to gauge user satisfaction on various aspects of a design.

  • Term: Task Observation

    Definition:

    A method in which users are observed while they complete tasks, recording metrics like time taken and errors.

  • Term: Affinity Mapping

    Definition:

    A technique for organizing qualitative feedback by grouping similar comments for clarity.

  • Term: Priority Matrix

    Definition:

    A decision-making tool to prioritize feedback based on criticality versus desirability.