User Testing Exam User Testing Planning and Methodology 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What is a between-subjects study design?
- Different participants are assigned to different conditions so no participant experiences more than one condition (Correct answer)
- Each participant tests all conditions sequentially
- Two researchers independently evaluate the same session
- Participants switch conditions halfway through the study
Correct answer: Different participants are assigned to different conditions so no participant experiences more than one condition
In a between-subjects design, separate groups of participants are assigned to different conditions, eliminating order effects.
Question 2: Why is counterbalancing used in usability studies with multiple tasks?
- To reduce order effects where completing one task influences performance on another (Correct answer)
- To increase the number of participants
- To ensure tasks are presented in alphabetical order
- To randomize which moderator conducts each session
Correct answer: To reduce order effects where completing one task influences performance on another
Counterbalancing varies the order of tasks across participants to neutralize order effects and learning biases.
Question 3: What is the purpose of a screener questionnaire in user testing?
- To identify and recruit participants who match the target user profile (Correct answer)
- To collect usability metrics during the test
- To evaluate the visual design of the interface
- To summarize findings after the session
Correct answer: To identify and recruit participants who match the target user profile
A screener questionnaire filters candidates to ensure only participants who match the target user profile are recruited.
Question 4: Which methodology evaluates a product's usability against established principles without involving real users?
- Heuristic evaluation (Correct answer)
- Ethnographic study
- Diary study
- Remote usability test
Correct answer: Heuristic evaluation
Heuristic evaluation is an expert review method where evaluators inspect the interface against recognized usability heuristics.
Question 5: What does 'ecological validity' mean in user testing?
- The degree to which test conditions reflect the user's real-world context (Correct answer)
- The environmental impact of running digital tests
- The validity of ecological research methods
- How well the sample represents all global users
Correct answer: The degree to which test conditions reflect the user's real-world context
Ecological validity refers to how closely the test environment and tasks mirror real-world usage conditions.
Question 6: What is a formative usability study?
- A study conducted during development to identify problems and inform design iterations (Correct answer)
- A final validation study before product launch
- A study that measures ROI of usability improvements
- An automated scan for accessibility issues
Correct answer: A study conducted during development to identify problems and inform design iterations
Formative studies are conducted during design and development to uncover usability issues and guide iterative improvements.
User Testing Exam User Testing Planning and Methodology 2
What is a between-subjects study design?