[DG: Teaching & Learning] Calling all observers! Usability testing sessions at the Sakai Virtual Conference!

[Francesca Socolick]

Hi everyone,

The UX-Track Sub-Committee is excited to facilitate four usability tests
next week at the conference... *live*!

We'd greatly appreciate support from the wider community, especially
developers and instructional designers, to help observe each session. Not
sure what you will do? Don't worry, we've got that covered in an
orientation session prior to our four tests. Please note: professional
note-taking skills are *not* a prerequisite ;)

To sign-up to be an observer, please visit our EventBrite page
<https://www.eventbrite.com/e/sakai-virtual-conference-2014-usability-testing-registration-13209689537>;
you may choose to observe one-20 minute session, or all four!

Feel free to contact me with any questions.

Best,
Francesca, on behalf of the UX-Track Committee


On Mon, Oct 6, 2014 at 10:50 AM, Wilma Hodges <wilma at longsight.com> wrote:

> The Sakai Virtual Conference will be featuring a User Experience (UX)
> track where we will be conducting live, remote usability testing during the
> conference. This is a great opportunity to experience usability testing
> first hand and share your impressions and opinions about Sakai interface
> design with experts and end users alike.
>
> The goals for the UX track are to raise awareness about the importance of
> usability testing in software development, to encourage community
> participation in the UX process, and to provide a forum for end users and
> developers to communicate and collaborate with one another on Sakai feature
> development.
>
> Each usability test will include a 20 minute one-on-one session. You will
> be asked to complete several tasks and give honest, open feedback.
> Participants will complete one test.
>
> We need both participants and observers for our usability sessions!
>
>    -
>
>    Participants should be end-users, such as faculty and students. No
>    programming or usability testing experience required! Just be you! (Please
>    note that virtual conference registration is required for participants.)
>    -
>
>    Observers should be Sakai developers, instructional designers, or
>    individuals involved with feature development, such as project managers and
>    user interface designers. Each session will be scripted and run by an
>    experienced UX facilitator, but we’d like to have experts observing each
>    session to get a more complete picture of the trends and issues that
>    surface during testing. Observers may be asked to take notes.
>
>
> FAQ's for Usability Testing:
>
> What is a usability test?
>
> According to Wikipedia <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Usability_testing>,
> “Usability testing is a technique used in user-centered interaction design
> to evaluate a product by testing it on users.” What does this mean? You get
> a chance to use a product and make suggestions for changes. The information
> collected during an usability test enables a product or service to add
> improvements/modifications to make the service or product better. Usability
> tests also discuss the positive and negative of a service/product and ways
> to improve it for the consumer/user.
>
> What am I expected to do?
>
> Answer questions honestly. We welcome your input. We would like to have a
> balance between positive feedback as well as constructive criticism and
> suggestions.
>
> Why can’t I just fill out a survey?
>
> While surveys are an effective way to collect information, they can lack
> personal anecdotes and useful discussion. In addition, once you do the
> usability test, you do not have to worry about reminder emails filling up
> your mailbox!
>
> Hurry, usability testing time slots are limited (and fun!), so don’t
> delay. Click here to sign up now
> <https://www.eventbrite.com/e/sakai-virtual-conference-2014-ux-testing-sessions-tickets-13209689537>
> !
>
> Sincerely,
>
> Neal Caidin, Sakai Community Coordinator, Apereo Foundation
> Wilma Hodges, Sakai Virtual Conference 2014 Planning Committee Chair
> Dede Hourican, UX Track Sub-Committee Member
> Luisa Li, UX Track Sub-Committee Member
> Mark Reilly, UX Track Sub-Committee Member
> Francesca Socolick, UX Track Sub-Committee Member
> Ian Dolphin, Executive Director, Apereo Foundation
>
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>
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-- 
Francesca Socolick
Senior eLearning Specialist
Academic Technology Services
NYU IT
Office: 212-992-6786
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