[TYPO3-hci] Usability Test

[Kasper Skårhøj]

Hi Sebastian and others.

I agree that usability testing is something we should do at some  
point. Today I read about all the methods you mention in details so I  
feel well informed at this stage. However, I was thinking of a  
technical solution which could be interesting.

In a usability lab it seems the primary goal is to record what a)  
happens on screen and b) the dialogue between the test person and  
test leader. In addition is is nice to see the face of the test  
person on video as well - and the pros are also careful to make the  
whole environment friendly and "homesome" to the user.

Today we have better technology. Let me describe a solution that  
would surely work:

I'm the test leader, sitting in Denmark. Mac.
Ursula is the test person, sitting at company X in germany and uses  
TYPO3 2-3 times a week. Windows.
Kasper calls Ursula on Skype which both have installed. If Ursula  
hasn't, Kasper uses SkypeOut to call a regular phone.
On Ursulas computer a VNC server is running. Kasper connects to her  
server with a mac client. Kasper now sees her screen on his mac in a  
window!
Kasper starts a screenrecorder application which is also able to  
capture the macs output audio hence the Skype-interview along with  
the screen.
Ursula receives the URL, username and password by mail and the test  
begins, screen and sound is recorded on Kaspers laptop directly to a  
mov-file, easily shared.

Advantage:
- No expensive lab and equipment
- No difficulties with travel etc. Very economic on time!
- Ursula is _exactly_ in her usual environment - a thing they dream  
to reproduce at the usability lab!
- persons from all over the world is tested in a day!
- It costs next to nothing (important for Open Source Software project)
- Data is collected in an easily shared format (mov files, mpg,  
whatever) with not post-processing required.

Disadvantage:
- Getting Ursulas screen picture transmitted to Kasper! Most likely  
she cannot be expected to set up a VNC server, neither will she have  
access to modify the router/firewall to allow Kaspers remote  
connection. So the VNC solution is more or less out of the question.  
BUT...: does another technology exist - such as a Java applet  
available from a website - which allows to share a desktop for a  
single session and doesn't give problems with firewalls etc?



- kasper