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Tips for New Facilitators
Facilitating usability tests can feel awkward at first. Here are some of the things I found most helpful
when I was first starting out.
Use a checklist. A checklist is a bulleted list of everything you want to cover in your briefing of
users, introduction of paper prototyping, and so on. A good checklist is generic enough to be used
in a variety of usability studies, so you shouldn't have to keep rewriting it. (The next chapter has
some examples of checklists you can use while conducting paper prototype usability tests.)
Wean yourself from scripts. In a script, you write down everything you will say to the users and
read it to them at the proper time. Scripts are useful in usability testing when it's important to
control all the interactions you have with the users. For example, if you were testing two competing
software packages, you'd want your introductions of them to use equally neutral wording. But in
paper prototype testing, it's unlikely that you need this degree of scientific rigor—when an interface
is rapidly changing, a detailed script can become more trouble to maintain than it's worth. I've
heard of facilitators who spent so much time scripting paper prototype tests that they lost all the
benefit of it being a fast technique. Although scripts are okay when you're starting, as you gain
confidence in usability test facilitation, I recommend that you pare them down into checklists.
Practice out loud. In any kind of public speaking (and test facilitation counts!), it's helpful to
practice out loud. I recommend practicing your facilitation skills with co-workers and friends—not
necessarily the whole usability test, but at least the introduction and instructions. Saying everything
out loud will help you feel more comfortable, plus if something comes out wrong or you find yourself
at a loss for words, that's one less mistake that you'll make with a real user.
Seek feedback. Although I no longer videotape usability tests (the next chapter explains why), as
a learning experience there's no substitute for seeing yourself on video. (In my first experience of
reviewing test tapes that I'd facilitated, I realized that I had a bad habit of trailing off and not
finishing ...) Or invite a colleague to sit in on your tests and give you feedback; one inherent benefit
of the usability profession is that we strive to be empathetic rather than critical. Whenever I
conduct a usability study, I ask the team afterward what they thought went well and what they'd like
to do differently in the future. If I realize I've made a mistake, such as asking a leading question, I'll
discuss it as an example of what not to do.
Strive for progress, not perfection. One of my experienced colleagues told me that she expects
to make at least one mistake per day of testing, and she relaxes once she realizes she's made it
(as in "Okay, that was my stupid thing to say today. I should be fine now.") It's always a good idea
to improve your skills in accordance with whatever best practices may exist in the profession. At
the same time, I don't believe that any two people will ever facilitate a usability test in exactly the
same way any more than two software engineers will ever write the same code. As you become
experienced in facilitating, you'll learn tricks that work well for you. And despite how carefully you've
prepared, try to accept that you'll also make mistakes that you can learn from.
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