You are not the user. What seems obvious or intuitive to you, the designer, may be confusing or difficult for someone else. Testing uncovers real-world usability issues, validates your design assumptions, and provides invaluable insights directly from your target audience.

■ Identify Test Objectives: What specific aspects of your prototype do you want to test? (e.g., "Is the navigation intuitive?", "Can users successfully complete Task X?", "Is the visual design appealing?").
■ Define Target Test Users: Select a small, representative group of 3-5 individuals who closely match your user persona(s). Explain why these individuals are suitable for testing.
■ Develop Specific Test Tasks/Scenarios: Create clear, concise tasks for your users to attempt. These tasks should mirror the key user flows you designed in Criterion B. Avoid leading questions.
■ Example Tasks for Study App: "You've just received a new history project. Use the app to add this project, setting its due date for two weeks from today." "Imagine you want to review all your upcoming math assignments. Show me how you would do that." "Find the settings for notifications."
■ Determine Data Collection Methods: How will you record user behaviour and feedback?
■ Observation Notes: As users interact, meticulously document their actions, hesitations, clicks, misclicks, verbalizations ("thinking aloud"), and expressions of frustration or delight.
■ Questionnaire/Interview Prompts: Prepare open-ended questions to ask users after they complete (or attempt) tasks. (e.g., "What was the most challenging part of that task?", "What did you like most about the interface?", "What would make this easier for you?").
■ Severity Rating (Optional, Simple): For any issues observed, you can briefly rate their severity (e.g., minor, moderate, critical).

■ Introduction: Briefly explain the purpose of the test (testing the design, not the user) and assure them there are no right or wrong answers.
■ "Think Aloud" Protocol: Encourage users to vocalize their thoughts as they navigate the prototype.
■ Non-Interference: Resist the urge to help or guide the user unless they are completely stuck. Let them struggle (within reason); this reveals usability problems.
■ Record: Take thorough notes.

■ Systematic Review of Feedback: Go through all your collected observation notes and responses from questionnaires/interviews.
■ Mapping to Success Criteria: Revisit the specific success criteria you established in Criterion A. Did your prototype meet these criteria? To what extent?
■ Identifying Strengths: Document what worked well. Where did users successfully and effortlessly complete tasks? What aspects of your design received positive feedback? (e.g., "Users found the 'Add' button to be highly discoverable and intuitive," "The calendar view provided a clear overview of deadlines, receiving positive comments on its clarity").
■ Identifying Weaknesses/Usability Issues: This is the most crucial part of evaluation. Systematically list every problem, point of confusion, or area of frustration observed during testing.
■ Categorize: Group similar issues together.
■ Prioritize: Which issues are "critical" (prevent task completion), "major" (significantly impede task completion), or "minor" (annoying but doesn't stop task completion)?
■ Examples: "Multiple users struggled to find the 'edit' option for an existing assignment, indicating a discoverability issue." "The contrast ratio of the light grey text on the white background was difficult to read for some users, impacting accessibility." "The sequence of steps for setting a reminder was unclear, causing user hesitation."

■ Proposing Specific Changes: For each identified weakness, articulate a concrete, actionable modification you would make to your interface design. These modifications should directly address the problems uncovered during testing.
■ Justification for Modifications: Crucially, explain why each proposed change would improve the design. Directly link the modification back to the specific user feedback or observed usability issue. This demonstrates your understanding of the iterative design process and problem-solving based on evidence.
■ Example 1 (Addressing discoverability): "The test showed that users struggled to locate the 'edit' function for assignments. To address this, I would modify the design to include a prominent 'Edit' button that appears directly when a user taps on an assignment, rather than requiring a swipe gesture which was not intuitive."
■ Example 2 (Addressing accessibility/readability): "Some users reported difficulty reading the secondary text due to low contrast. I would adjust the colour palette to use a darker shade for all body text, ensuring sufficient contrast (e.g., a dark grey or black) against the light background to improve readability for all users."
■ Example 3 (Addressing workflow confusion): "The sequence for setting reminders was unclear, causing users to get lost. I would refine the user flow by adding a clear 'Set Reminder' toggle switch directly within the 'Add Assignment' screen, and if activated, a simple time picker would appear on the same screen, making the process more integrated and intuitive."

■ Holistic Reflection on Problem Solving: Beyond specific modifications, reflect on the broader success of your design in addressing the initial problem statement. Did your solution effectively meet the core needs of your target user(s)?
■ Strengths of the Current Design: Even with areas for improvement, highlight the positive aspects of your design that worked well during testing or that you are particularly proud of. (e.g., "The minimalist visual style was highly appreciated by users for its cleanliness," "The primary task of adding assignments was successfully completed by all users, demonstrating intuitive design for core functionality").
■ Potential Positive Impact of the Solution: Discuss the theoretical benefits your app/website could bring if fully developed and implemented. How could it improve the lives of your target users or benefit the community? (e.g., "This app has the potential to significantly reduce student stress by providing a centralized and intuitive platform for academic organization, potentially leading to improved academic performance and better time management skills for future endeavours").
■ Personal Learning and Growth as a Designer:
■ New Knowledge and Skills: Articulate what specific concepts (e.g., Information Architecture, Interaction Design principles, specific UI elements) and practical skills (e.g., wireframing, prototyping software proficiency, user testing) you acquired or significantly enhanced during this project.
■ Challenges and Solutions: Describe any significant challenges you encountered during the design cycle (e.g., difficulty understanding user needs, technical issues with software, conflicting feedback). Explain how you approached and overcame these challenges, demonstrating problem-solving abilities and resilience.
■ Reflective Insights: What would you do differently if you were to undertake a similar project in the future? What are your key takeaways about user-centered design? How has this project impacted your understanding of effective digital product creation?