Usability Testing

Short Course Description
This course introduces the concepts of usability and usability testing and why they are needed for survey research. The course provides a theoretical model for understanding the respondent-survey interaction and then provides practical methods for incorporating iterative user-centered design and testing into the survey development process. The course provides techniques and examples for designing, planning, conducting and analyzing usability studies on web or mobile surveys.

Prerequisites
Students are expected to be familiar with questionnaire design. Experience with cognitive testing is a plus, but not a requirement.

Course Objectives
By the end of the course, students will

•  unde rstand what usability and usability testing are and how to apply usability testing to survey research
• learn about moderating techniques, such as the think-aloud protocol and verbal probing
• learn when to test, where to test (lab vs. field vs. remote) and who to test with (type and number of participants)
• be able to plan for usability testing (develop protocol guide, determine test metrics, consider hardware/software)
• learn what to test: conceptual testing, paper prototypes, wireframes
• understand how to collect, record, and analyze usability data

Course Composition
This is a 2 ECTS course, which runs for 4 weeks. The content of the course is broken down into 4 units:

1. Introduction
2. Moderating Techniques
3. Test Materials, Metrics, Equipment, Location
4. What to test/ Analyzing Results

Learning and Teaching Methods
In this course, you are responsible for watching video-recorded lectures and reading the required literature for each unit prior to participating in mandatory weekly one-hour online meetings where students have the chance to discuss the materials from a unit with the instructor. In addition, students are encouraged to post questions about the materials covered in the videos and readings of the week in the forum before the meetings.

Grading
Grading will be based on:

•  Participation in discussion during the weekly online meetings (worth 10%)
•  Wee kly online exercises reviewing specific aspects of the material covered (worth 60% total)
• A final open-book online exam (worth 30%)

ZFU Certification

The Mannheim Master of Applied Data Science & Measurement program is certified according to the regulations of the ZFU (Staatliche Zentralstelle für Fernunterricht).

Online Dispute Resolution

Online dispute resolution according to Art. 14 Sect. 1 ODR-VO: The European Commission provides a platform for online dispute resolution (ODR). You can find more information under http://ec.europa.eu/consumers/odr/