Usability Testing: Convection Ovens

The Design

For this week’s sprint, our task was to evaluate the usability of common household kitchen appliances, such as a convection oven. During the studio section, we were to brainstorm the three different tasks and three different types of data that we would be conducting and gathering for three different users. My group members and I finalized the following tasks: preheat the oven to 375˚F, set a timer for 1 hour and 30 minutes and lastly to cancel the preheat and timer setting. The data types that we were collecting included: stating whether or not the task was completed, the time taken to complete each task and rating the difficulty of the task on a scale of 1(easiest)–7(most difficult). The targeted users were students aged 18–21 who lived in our dorm.

Reflection

A question that was imposed while I was the modulator of the test was how much impact the test moderator had on the data. For example, one of the users was completely flustered as to how to preheat the oven. One of my group members who was the moderator for this user ended up giving him small hints for each step so that he could complete the task. Hence, it was evident to me that the user in fact did not how to function the oven himself and instead needed help. This made me question about whether or not the moderator should be allowed to talk while the user is being observed.

However, I enjoyed this project because it really made me think about how appliances that are used everyday can and should be made easier for people to use. A convection oven is an appliance that is used almost everyday in each household but the interface can become so complicated in the pursuit of ‘modern technology’ that it becomes harder to use. As someone who had never used the ovens in the dorms before, I also had troubles trying to figure out how to preheat the oven.

Usability testing would be an important factor to consider in the biomedical engineering and medical field. It would be extremely important for medical professionals to be able to use devices in order to streamline the process of procedures such as surgery. Additionally, devices as simple as a medical injecting syringe for vaccines would have to be tested before they are introduced so that the process of vaccination is made easier for medical professionals.