The product being tested
The UX researcher running the usability study has to thoroughly understand the interface that will be tested. This is a prerequisite for being able to write an effective discussion guide or script. The following are some questions that we like to ask the study sponsor during a kick-off session:
- How would you describe the purpose of the interface?: Admittedly, it's rare that we don't have any idea what the product does before we start a usability study, but it is always useful (and interesting) to understand how the study sponsor views it. In extreme cases, this view may strongly deviate from the UX researcher's perception of the product. An unnecessary discussion can be avoided by asking the actual users in the study how they perceive the product.
- What are the most important functions of the product?: This answers the question of the user's goal. Nobody installs an app because they want to create a user account. It is a necessary means to an end – the end being the...
