Choosing Users to Test, and Preparing Them
The best test users are people who are representative of the people
who will be the (real) users of the final system.
It may be difficult to find volunteers, especially if your future users
are managers, doctors, lawyers, ...
But if they are not willing to test a prototype,
how certain are you they will be willing to use the final product?
Sometimes it may be possible to approximate the real users by means
of students (in the right field).
Users need to be prepared before participating in a test:
- Users must be real volunteers. You should not use subordonates,
friends or other people who are not really free to decline.
- You must assure and convince the test-users that it is the
system that is being tested, and not the users.
Participating in a test can be distressing and embarrassing,
because users expect to "do well", and may be frustrated about not
being able to perform a task.
- Take precautions to protect the users' privacy, and inform the
users of these precautions.
- Provide training for the test users first, so they reach the level of
skill and expertise you expect your real users to have.
- Do a pilot study by trying the system and task yourself,
and having some colleagues try it and maybe a few test users as well.