Thinking Aloud Test Plan

706.021 Human-Computer Interaction 3VU SS 2010

Group G3-09

Gerwald Tschinkel
Luis Dean Kals
René Langgartner

Usability Test of the Web Site

http://mediamarkt.at/seiersberg/

Test Plan of XXth April 2010

1 Test Methodology

The Thinking Aloud Method is basically the user telling us their thoughts during the evaluation of the website. This includes: what the user is trying to do, questions he/she has, confusing details and decisions he or she makes.

The user is asked to fill out a consent form and a non-disclosure agreement. They are given a basic introduction to thinking aloud tests like a video of a previous test so they know what awaits them. The user uses a designated test machine and is monitored by an examiner, camera, a microphone and screen-capturing software. A Mirror is also used to capture facial features and a scribe logs the events during a test. When finished, the user is asked to fill out a questionnaire and answer a few interview questions.

2 User Profiles

Users that just want to get informed about, how to get to the store, when they have opened, etc.
Users that want to shop online
Users that are looking for a specific product, for availability / cheapest price
Users that are looking for a specific type of product (eg what laptops do they offer, ...)
Potential Employees
Users that want to get informed about a product (read reviews, etc)
Users that wants to know about the current "special offers"
Users that just want to "browse" through the page / through the products.

Based on this list, we are taking the following user profile for the Thinking Aloud Test:
Users that just want to "browse" through the page / through the products.

3 Test Users

Table 1: Test Users for the thinking aloud test.
Name	Age	Computer Experience	Profession	Role
Ulrike Krisch	26	Novice User	Student	Pilot Test User
Anna Antensteiner	20	Novice User	Student	Test User
Susanne Popp	22	Novice User	Student	Test User
Lisa Schmölzer	19	Experienced User	Student	Test User
Michael Lee	20	Experienced User	Student	Test User

4 Test Environment

Table 2: Hardware and software environment for the thinking aloud test.
Hardware	Intel Core2 Duo, 4GB RAM
Operating System	Windows 7 Ultimate
Web Browser	Internet Explorer 8.0
Connection	8Mbit
Monitor Colours	32 bit
Monitor Resolution	1280 x 800
Monitor Size	13,3'' TFT

5 Recording Equipment

We have a source for the equipment, but we still waiting for confirmation, and so the equipment cannot be specified at this moment in time.

As Screen Capture Software we will use CamStudio.

6 Test Tasks

Task 1 (first impressions) is given. Think of four further tasks for users to perform on your client's web site, in increasing order of difficulty.

Table 3 shows the tasks which will be used.

Table 3: Internal Task List.
Task No.	Description	Prerequisites	Completion Criteria	Max. Time	Possible Solution Path
1	[First impressions] Please go to the web site www.mediamarkt.at and spend a few minutes looking aound the site.	Web browser opened at www.google.com	User indicates they have finished looking around or 3 minutes have elapsed.	3 minutes.	After 3 minutes ask the user: Who does this web site represent? Who is this web site intended for? What does this web site offer?
2	Please put any product you like into your shopping list.	Web browser opened at www.mediamarkt.at	User indicates they have finished looking around or 5 minutes have elapsed.	5 minutes.	Click on "Mediazone" -> "Strategie" -> Put any product into your shopping list
3	Please register on the website and log in	Web browser opened at www.mediamarkt.at	User indicates they have finished or 4 minutes have elapsed.	4 minutes.	Click on "Jetzt Anmelden" -> Complete the blanks
4	Now, please find a job as "Kassamitarbeiter/in Teilzeit" at any store you like.	Web browser opened at www.mediamarkt.at	User indicates they have finished or 5 minutes have elapsed.	5 minutes.	Click on "Jobs" -> Select store "St.Lorenzen"
5	Listen to any song you like and store the album the song belongs to into your accounts memory. After you did that leave the website (log out if you are logged in) and try to find the album in your account. If you did feel free to delete your account.	Web browser opened at www.mediamarkt.at and you are not logged in	User indicates they have finished or 5 minutes have elapsed.	5 minutes.	Log in -> Click on "Mediazone" -> Click on "Musik-Downloads" -> Choose an album and listen to a song on it -> Click on "Produkt merken" -> Log out -> Log in -> Click on "Mein Account" -> Click on "Shop"

7 Interview Questions

"What did you think?" / "How was it?"
Was it easy or hard to fulfill the tasks?
What did you find the most annoying when browsing through the site?
Do you find the page / the navigation well structured?
@Task 1: What was your first impression?
@Task 2: [If success]: Where there any problems in finding a product?
[If failed]: What was the problem in finding a product?
@Task 3: What did you think about the registration form? Ok? Not ok? What did you dislike?
@Task 4: [If failed]: What made finding a job hard? What was the problem from your point of view?
@Task 5: What was the problem? How easy was it to find the album and listen to it?

A Test Materials

All materials should be printed out and included in the hardcopy version.

A.1 Orientation Script

Adapt the orientation script orient.html for your test.

A.2 Background Questionnaire

Suggest additional new questions for your test at the bottom of the background questionnaire backgr.html

A.3 Consent Form

Include the consent form consent.html from the materials unchanged here.

A.4 Data Collection Form

Include the data collection form datacoll.pdf from the materials unchanged here.

A.5 Feedback Questionnaire

Include the feedback questionnaire feedback.html from the materials unchanged here.