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Usability test moderators need to play several roles, such as ensuring the technology is working properly, ensuring the session runs to schedule and schmoozing the client. But the moderator’s most important role is to ensure that the participant is heard. With most test sessions lasting less than 90 minutes, this is one of a small number of opportunities that the design team has to understand how people use their product.
I hope I’ve convinced you that listening is different from hearing. Your next step is to improve your listening skills, and the best way to do that is to practise listening. So pick one of the ideas in the list above and try it out when you next talk with someone.
Anna-Gret Higgins holds a BSc in Psychology and a PhD Counselling Psychology. She is a Chartered Psychologist and an Associate Fellow of the British Psychological Society. Anna-Gret manages the usability testing team at Userfocus and has logged hundreds of hours in usability tests of public and private sector web sites.
Gain hands-on practice in all the key areas of UX while you prepare for the BCS Foundation Certificate in User Experience. More details
Over 30 years ago, psychologists showed that people are very poor at explaining the reasons behind their choices. This is why usability tests focus on what people do, not on what people say. So why do so many usability test moderators continue to ask participants, “Why?”? Why you shouldn't ask “Why?” in a usability test
This article is tagged moderating, usability testing.
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