1. Introduction to Web Authoring
Session 20
Bill Hart-Davidson
AIM: billhd30

2. Progress Reports: The basics
This is a persuasive genre! You will likely have one of two aims:
To convince your audience (me, in this case) that your team is on track, organized, and likely to meet the goals you set
To convince your audience of a need to re-focus the project’s scope or increase resources for the project in light of unexpected circumstances (e.g. lack of progress).
Assess
&
Request
Work completed
Work remaining

3. Progress Reports: Content 1
What are your, questions, data sources, & methods in each of our three major focus areas:
Usability
Accessability
Sustainability
RDC

4. Progress Reports: Content 2
How is your inquiry progressing? What is done? What remains to be done?
Usability
Accessability
Sustainability
Gantt

5. Progress Reports: Content 2
What have you learned so far?
Usability
Accessability
Sustainability
Findings?

6. Progress Reports: FAQ Q: How long? 7 minutes + Q&A Q: What format?
Powerpoint; two charts RDC + Gantt
Q: How do we turn it in?
A: Post it to your project page; show it during class

7. Standards Resources Section 508 Guidelines
Web Standards Project
W3C HTML Validator
Three key steps:
Doctype
Validate
Separate content from presentation

8. Accessibility Tools Test Visual Contrast http://graybit.com/main.php
Screenreader simulation
Low Vision simulations
Bottom Line: Tools are fine, but do not replace tests with real people

9. Steps in Planning a Usability Test
Determine Who We Want To Test
Determine What We Want to Test
Determine Our Test Metrics
Write or Choose our Scenario
Plan a Test Protocol
Create data gathering tools
Plan analysis methods

10. Planning a User Test: User Groups
Your initial user needs and genre analysis work (interviews, surveys, etc.) should allow you to identify goals each user group might have when visiting the site.
Eg. “prospective members”
Goal: Evaluate the benefits of membership. Using what? : Info about past events and upcoming events…(what else?)

11. Planning a User Test: Scenarios
Use the info you have gathered to write a sample scenario, including information about
Who
What
Why
Where
But not How!

12. Try your own scenario! Write one about a typical user for your site.
Remember…don’t put “how” info into the scenario. Stick to: who, what, when, why, where…

13. Determine Who to Test User Group: Students
Target Audience: Those looking for on-campus housing for the coming year
User Goal: Get first choice of places to live, roommates, etc.
Consider your design priorities
Think about a representative sample of the group you choose.

14. Determine What to Test
Based on the user goal, list specific, observable outcomes we can solicit from users in one or more tasks.
Example Outcomes:
Starting at home page, locate…
After test, recall…
Submit all information necessary to…

15. Determine Test Metrics: Performance Criteria
Specific Criteria for Success for each Outcome
User locates X piece information and writes it down on test form
User is able to find and download X to the desktop (yes/no)
User is able complete X task in less than 10 minutes, total; (anticipate sources of non-task related delays)
Note: Common performance metrics are based on task success, time, and # of errors

16. Determine Test Metrics: User Satisfaction Criteria
User finds the site helpful, well-suited to the task (4 or 5 on a 5 pt. scale)
User finds the site easy to use (4 or 5 on a 5 pt. scale)
Users are confident that they completed the task successfully (4 or 5, etc.)
Specific Criteria for Success for each Outcome
Note: Common satisfaction metrics are based on confidence of task success, perceived difficulty, and frustration level

17. Write a Scenario + Tasks
Create a background scenario to orient the participant to their role and goals…can be drawn from your “use case”
Create individual task descriptions that match up with each observable outcome
Sequence tasks so as to avoid interference issues (e.g. learning effects)

18. Sample task
1. You are considering attending a sailing club event. Use the site to determine the most appropriate upcoming event for learning about the club.
For this, we’d want to identify ahead of time the “answers” and decide on some metrics for determining success.

19. Create a Protocol, 1: Tasks & Preconditions
Task 1: Locate X pieces of information
Preconditions: Sailing club main page showing; all visited links cleared
User may use bookmarks to “collect” pages, etc. Therefore, bookmarks file must be cleared for each new user.

20. Create a Protocol, 2: Order of Events
Disclaimer & Confidentiality
Pre-Test Questionnaire
User Reads Background info out loud; questions?
User Reads Scenario 1; does task 1; continue until all 3 tasks complete; completes post-task questionnaire
Post-test Interview
Thanks!

21. Create Test Materials Disclaimer; thank you note.
Background information sheet on user’s “role”
Scenarios & task sheets with blanks for participant fill-ins
Questionnaire/Interview Questions: pre-test, post-task, post-test
Observation notes sheets

22. Test Day! Before the test
Remind all of your users of the agreed upon time, place, etc.
Double check the room and equipment
Be sure all test materials are present
Be sure the computer is in the correct beginning state (turn off the screen saver)
Do any pre-test data gathering that is needed