Testing Testing..One Two
My thesis project, a quiz based civic knowledge app called POLLY, is finally at a stage and fidelity where I can user test with a more concrete notion of what the features of the app do and how it flows. The following is my plan on how to work with the users, mostly local high school students.
User Testing Plan
How will you test your current prototype with users?
Through print outs and clickable prototype on my laptop and iPhone
Where will you find these users?
Local high school students, friends, classmates. Aiming for at least 8 high school students.
How will you record the results?
Audio recordings, photos, transcribe live notes. Due to scheduling, I will have some group user testing sessions. I will have one participant run through the prototype on the laptop and have the printouts ready for everyone to write their thoughts on them. After each screen we will open up a group discussion. Some sessions will be one on one. As the participant goes through each screen, I will have them comment on each element and bring up any questions.
What are the top 5 (or more) things you want/need to know about your audience?
- Do they understand the visual elements, the UX/UI of my app?
2. What they feel about the language for headers as well as questions and facts
3. Do they feel the rhythm and flow of the quizzes followed by facts works for them and engages them?
4. Can they see themselves using this willingly?
5. How would they expect the app to be introduced to them. What insight they can provide on ways they have been introduced to apps.
6. Could they see their age demographic using this app?
7. What they feel about the various POLLY features from the home screen?
8. Their thoughts on the gamification point system and their motivation to keep going and return.
Script
Hi, Id like to show you an app that I am working on called POLLY. I need your insight as a user tester so that I can continue to improve it. Please be honest and point out anything good or bad, anything that confuses you and please feel free to jump in with suggestions on how it could be better.
Intro on POLLY, what it was made for and why. Its a quiz based app that alternates between basic civic info, which we call Pollytics and then issue levels which you will choose. The levels themselves will have short quizzes followed by a fact card that goes back to each quiz so that hopefully you learn. The point of POLLY is to make the user more knowledgeable about civics and issues they care about so that they are more motivated to vote.
You will accumulate points as you answer questions correctly and learn facts and read articles.
POLLY has partnered with real corporations that have genuine non-partisan interest in advancing democracy in our country. The points users earn can be contributed to a pot for real dollar donations, to causes and charities associated with the issues the users care about. Users can choose between donation rewards and more tangible rewards like cool POLLY merch. Top point earners are even entered into a drawing to visit Washington D.C. and meet their respective state senator to discuss the issues in person.
So let’s start.
The first thing I’d like to show you are some paper prototypes of POLLY and then I will show you a prototype on my computer. Please look at the paper protos and point out any questions you have about any of the elements.
Now let’s go through the screens from the beginning. I’d like you to click and scroll through the proto and tell me about each element from top to bottom, what you think their function is, what you think will happen if you click on something.
Now let’s check out the home screen which shows all the features that POLLY offers the user. Tell me what you think each feature is for.
After home screen, move on to quizzes and fact cards. Before you click through the quizzes and answer them as you would in a real quiz, let’s take a look at the interface. (Go through each element and ask them if they understand the function) Now let them go through the quiz and record their comments.
After the quiz section discuss the fact cards.
To conclude, open up discussion to how they could see this app being introduced to them and any other comments and suggestions they have regarding the rewards, donations, merch.
Post-User Tests
Transcribe all notes and synthesize to continue iteration as I start moving into next iteration for some additional user tests and then soon after, high fidelity prototyping.
