00:00 – Tester is asked to read introductory paragraph
00:40 – Test started
00:53 – Tester visibly appears confused
01:05 – Tester explains that they intend to move/rotate the phone or swipe
01:13 – Facilitator explains the limitations of a medium-fidelity prototype test. Movement of phone will not work, but tester’s intentions are noted
01:25 – Tester attempts to swipe camera to rotate it – is this an expected behaviour? Swiping = rotation of object
01:39 – Tester taps “AR Mode” and facilitator assures tester that AR Mode is already active
01:50 – Tester taps “Object Selection” in an attempt to move the process forward – The testers are clearly stuck and unsure what to do
01:55 – Tester taps the “Ask the Trainer” button on screen – it took a long time to get to this? Perhaps it could move repeatedly to get the user’s attention?01:58 – Tester verbally confirms their realisation that the “Ask the Trainer” feature could help
02:08 – Facilitator explains that keyboard functionality is limited in a medium fidelity prototype
02:30 – Helpful factoid appears on screen
02:50 – Tester confirms they now understand how to rotate the object and explains that they’ve found the process helpful
03:05 – Tester presses the “Back” button
03:07 – Tester rotates object repeatedly according to the instructions given
Summary
I’m pleased I’ve been able to shorten my usability testing process. This makes it much easier to focus on a particular feature and to evaluate its performance in the test. After the test had completed I felt as though no issues had been found. However reviewing this report in hindsight a few days later I realise that some glaring issues have been pointed out…
- The tester’s instinct is to swipe on the object to rotate it, not to tap it. I wonder if this aligns with other augmented reality mobile applications i.e.: a “standardised interaction scheme” (Craig, 2013)?
- The Tester spent ~30 seconds in a confused state, rather than seeking help. There is a possibility that the tester only persisted because of their awareness of the test. An end user may have left the application frustrated and not achieved their training. Eventually, the test found the “Ask the Trainer” facility and was able to resolve the confusion. Perhaps the “Ask the Trainer” feature should be more prominent? I could consider placement, colour, and animation of the feature to make it more prominent
Actions
- Support both tapping and swiping gestures for rotating the object
- Make the “Ask the Trainer” feature more prominent. I could consider making alterations to the placement, colour, timings, and animations
Informed Consent Form
References
Craig, A.B. (2013). Understanding Augmented Reality: Concepts and Applications. San Diego: Elsevier Science & Technology Books.