Introduction to Usablity Test Facilitation - Paper Prototyping: The Fast and Easy Way to Define and Refine User Interfaces - page 133

Ethical and Legal Responsibilities
The goal of usability testing is to learn how to make the product better with the assistance of
users—but not at their expense. As the facilitator, you have an ethical and legal responsibility to make
sure that your test participants do not have an unpleasant experience.
Many years ago, the spell checker in Microsoft Word (I think it was version 2.0) did not recognize
the word "usability" and suggested "suability" instead. I was highly amused at the time—I was
writing a report that compared the usability of a Microsoft application to one of its
competitors—but it's stuck in my head ever since as some kind of subtle cosmic warning that
usability testing can land you in legal hot water.
Central to the idea of usability testing is the concept of informed consent—the user understands the
nature of the session and their role before agreeing to participate. With the possible exception of paper
cuts, there is little risk of physical harm during a paper prototype usability test. However, any kind of
usability testing carries the risk of psychological or emotional harm in the form of embarrassment,
frustration, or stress or feeling stupid. It's your responsibility to avoid causing this kind of harm. Just as
conscientious backpackers leave their campsite cleaner than they found it, the facilitator's goal is to
have users leave the session in as good or better frame of mind as when they came in. Of course,
users may be more tired, but they will also have reasons to feel good, such as hearing that their
perspective is valuable and how their feedback will make the product better.
As of 2002, there is no formal code of ethics for usability testing, but it is likely that one will be
developed in the future. In the meantime, you may want to study the ethical guidelines used in related
professions like psychology. See www.paper-prototyping.com for more information.
The Informed Consent Form
The informed consent form is a contract between you and the user that states you've explained the
purpose and nature to their satisfaction, including the following:
What you'll ask them to do (i.e., work with a prototype)
What's being tested (the interface, not the user)
Any risks to their physical or psychological well-being (such as the presence of observers)
The length of the session, including their right to end it at any time
What data you will collect and how this information will be used
Ideally, the informed consent form should be sent to users ahead of time so that they have a chance to
read it, contact you with any questions or concerns, and decline to participate if they are not
comfortable with the test setting. If observers will be present, the informed consent form should