ABSTRACT
Gaining informed consent is a cornerstone of the social sciences. But it is sometimes poorly practiced by UX researchers. Clients want to protect their intellectual property so they get participants to sign a non-disclosure agreement (NDA). It’s true that many companies carry out some up-front customer-focused field research activities. The best kinds of descriptions capture participant’s behaviors, needs and goals. Usability test tasks are the beating heart of a usability test. Scavenger hunt and reverse scavenger hunt tasks work well when the people know what people want to do with their website. Moderating a usability test is full of bear traps. Usability testing is about observing participants while they carry out realistic tasks. Some people approach a usability expert review like a dogmatic movie critic, prepared to give their opinion on an interface’s strengths and weaknesses.
