TUTORIAL
Usability studies: getting the most from The Observer 4
Tobias Heffelaar (Noldus Information Technology bv, Wageningen, The Netherlands)
Benefits
When performing usability studies you are always under time pressure. In this tutorial you will learn how to speed
up the acquisition of data and how to analyze this data easily, using The Observer 4. We will be looking into
different coding levels (from logging key presses to scoring anxiety) and coding behavior you did not expect. We
will optimize the data acquisition, discuss easy ways to analyze the data and learn how generate video highlights
based on your observations. The tutorial will end with a discussion of hardware and software developments that
could facilitate your usability tests.
Features
- Different levels of event logging.
- Configuration design: pre-defining behavior in such a way that unexpected behavior can be coded.
- Optimized data collection; efficient logging of behavior.
- Create a series of video highlights and store them on tape or as media files, to communicate the usability
issues you discovered to team members or clients, incorporate video clips in presentations and/or make
them available on your web site.
- Immediate analysis, using The Observer’s data filters.
- How to set up a general project, which can serve as a template.
- Hardware solutions to speed up your usability tests.
Audience
This tutorial is aimed at those who have started using The Observer for usability tests or human factors studies,
or who will be starting to use the program soon. A background in the field of human factors and/or usability is
advisable.
Presentation
Lecture segments interspersed with exercises and discussions.
Instructor resume
Tobias Heffelaar holds a M.Sc. degree in Social Science Information Technology. He has been working for Noldus
Information Technology bv for 3 years. He has given many Observer training courses in laboratories all over
Europe and is their usability specialist. Besides usability testing the Noldus products, he also runs the new
Noldus Usability Consultancy Service.
Sign up
To sign up for this tutorial, please send an email to Tobias Heffelaar. Feel
free to ask questions in advance, thus allowing the instructor to tailor the content of the tutorial to the interest of the
participants.
Last updated: 5 July 2002
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