Usability test script
Reprinted from Rocket Surgery Made Easy
2010 Steve Krug
Web browser should be open to Google or some
other neutral page
Hi, ___________. My name is ___________, and Im
going to be walking you through this session today.
Before we begin, I have some information for you, and
Im going to read it to make sure that I cover everything.
You robably already have a good idea of why we asked
you here, but let me go over it again briefly. !ere
asking eole to try using a !eb site that were working
on so we can see whether it works as intended. "he
session should take about an hour.
"he first thing I want to make clear right away is that
were testing the site, not you. You cant do anything
wrong here. In fact, this is robably the one lace today
where you dont have to worry about making mistakes.
#s you use the site, Im going to ask you as much as
ossible to try to think out loud$ to say what youre
looking at, what youre trying to do, and what youre
thinking. "his will be a big hel to us.
#lso, lease dont worry that youre going to hurt our
feelings. !ere doing this to imrove the site, so we
need to hear your honest reactions.
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If you have any %uestions as we go along, &ust ask them.
I may not be able to answer them right away, since
were interested in how eole do when they dont have
someone sitting ne't to them to hel. But if you still
have any %uestions when were done Ill try to answer
them then. #nd if you need to take a break at any oint,
&ust let me know.
You may have noticed the microhone. !ith your
ermission, were going to record what haens on the
screen and our conversation. "he recording will only be
used to hel us figure out how to imrove the site, and it
wont be seen by anyone e'cet the eole working on
this ro&ect. #nd it hels me, because I dont have to
take as many notes.
#lso, there are a few eole from the !eb design team
observing this session in another room. ("hey cant see
us, &ust the screen.)
If you would, Im going to ask you to sign a simle
ermission form for us. It &ust says that we have your
ermission to record you, and that the recording will
only be seen by the eole working on the ro&ect.
Give them a recording permission form and a pen
While they sign it, STAT the S!""#
"!$%"
&
'
I* Y+, #-. ,/I01 # 0+023I/45+/,-.
#1-..M.0" (otional)$
I know we also sent you a non2disclosure agreement that
says that you wont talk to anybody about what were
showing you today, since it hasnt been made ublic yet.
3o you have that with you6
Accept the #%A and ma(e sure that it)s signed* +f
they don)t have it with them, hand them a copy
and give them time to read and sign it*
3o you have any %uestions so far6
+7. Before we look at the site, Id like to ask you &ust a
few %uick %uestions.
*irst, whats your occuation6 !hat do you do all day6
0ow, roughly how many hours a week altogether8&ust
a ballark estimate8 would you say you send using
the Internet, including !eb browsing and email, at work
and at home6
#nd whats the slit between email and browsing8a
rough ercentage6
,
!hat kinds of sites are you looking at when you browse
the !eb6
3o you have any favorite !eb sites6
+7, great. !ere done with the %uestions, and we can
start looking at things.
!lic( on the boo(mar( for the site)s -ome page*
*irst, Im going to ask you to look at this age and tell
me what you make of it$ what strikes you about it,
whose site you think it is, what you can do here, and
what its for. 9ust look around and do a little narrative.
You can scroll if you want to, but dont click on
anything yet.
Allow this to continue for three or four minutes, at
most*
.
"hanks. 0ow Im going to ask you to try doing some
secific tasks. Im going to read each one out loud and
give you a rinted coy.
Im also going to ask you to do these tasks without using
/earch. !ell learn a lot more about how well the site
works that way.
#nd again, as much as ossible, it will hel us if you can
try to think out loud as you go along.
-and the participant the first scenario, and
read it aloud*
Allow the user to proceed until you don)t feel
li(e it)s producing any value or the user becomes very
frustrated*
epeat for each tas( or until time runs out*
"hanks, that was very helful.
If youll e'cuse me for a minute, Im &ust going to see if
the eole on the team have any follow2u %uestions
theyd like me to ask you.
!all the observation room to see if the observers
have any /uestions*
As( the observers) /uestion, then probe
anything you want to follow up on*
0
3o you have any %uestions for me, now that were
done6
Give them their incentive, or remind them it will
be sent to them*
Stop the screen recorder and save the file*
Than( them and escort them out*
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