Usability Training for TUI course developers and usability testing of their courses

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The full-time TUI faculty charged with course development and maintenance should be trained in usability principles in many ways. First, the usability experts ought to spend extra time in training the designers and the course development team. This is because usability issues in most cases do arise from poorly designed products. On the other hand, excellent usability will be as a result of excellent product design. The main idea in this case is to teach both design and development teams to healthier appreciate usability as an attribute and a process. This helps them understand how usability can be incorporated within a product during development process. A number of forms of training can be used such as observations, interactive workshops, listening sessions, hands-on exercises and many others. In this case the developers and the designers are expected to watch users as they use the course product. Consequently, the developers and designers will end up with a mass of knowledge in terms of usability (Dubois et al., 2013, Rhodes 2005).

Secondly, the developers and designers should also apply usability techniques as they proceed with the work. This will help developers of the TUI course product to comfortably build usability in to the course product as they go on with the process of development. In real sense, the application of usability techniques during development will enable the total product improvement to be quite useful. However, the improvements may not be at similar level as compared to those recommended by extremely knowledgeable and trained usability experts. Therefore, usability training is useful in doing away with several irritating problems that compromises the usability of the product. In addition, applying usability methods enables the developers and designers to recognize non-serious problems that are more general in nature extra simple. Such problems may at times be unnoticed by experts who are extremely focused (Dubois et al., 2013, Rhodes 2005, Lidwell, Holden & Butler, 2010).

Another recommendation is that much money should be spent on usability training rather than on usability testing. This is because training ought to be given the priority if the basic usability problems are to be done away with. Moreover, if usability is to be improved as part of institutional or organizational culture, then training should be given the first priority although the most difficult usability issues still do exist to a given extent even after the application of training. This means that specialists will still be required since usability training only shifts essential usability testing in to the hands of designers and developers. On the other hand, the most difficult and disturbing problems are solved by usability experts (Dubois et al., 2013, Rhodes 2005).

Other recommendations include training designers and developers for few days in a case where the budget is limited, where there are broad issues to tackle, that is, when the scope of issues is wide. Also, training will be most recommended where there is that willingness to listen to users of the TUI faculty in addition to learning from them. Listening to users can as well be taught to both designers and developers of this course product. This helps the culture of the company to change once usability is delivered through training and both the developers and designers embrace it. Usability training is thus recommended for top developers. It is also recommended to involve the top management of TUI in order to enhance extra quick change in culture. Furthermore, the top down or bottom up approach to training or both at the same time should be used to easily change the culture of TUI as an institution via usability training. In short, usability training is highly recommended if the aim is to maximize investment in usability, if the gap amid designers and usability experts are to be bridged or when the user focused culture is to be created (Dubois et al., 2013, Rhodes 2005, Lidwell, Holden & Butler, 2010).

Usability testing on the other hand is a way of proving whether the complete TUI course design in this case meets what is expected and also works as expected. In this case is tested differently since every course has different learning objectives but with the same format. The courses are structured in the same five module learning structure, covering specific topics with specific discussion assignment, cases and session long term project that are connected to the model concept. The testing processes include developing test plan, choosing attest environment, finding and selecting participants, preparing test materials, conducting sessions, debriefing with participants and observers, analyzing data and observations and finally creating findings and recommendations in that order(Dana, 2009).

Developing test plan involve determining the test objectives with the team. The test environment describes the set up where testing is carried out such as lab, recording sessions and others. The process of finding and selecting participants will depend on behavior and characteristics of users or participants who are directly connected to the course product as per the specific course. Preparation of materials involves tackling all research questions by converting them in to task scenarios. The moderator is responsible for safety and comfort of all participants, handles data collected as well as managing team members. Debriefing stage will involve asking questions to participants. The observers are invited at this stage to follow up questions to the moderator or to also ask questions by talking in brief about what they have seen and heard. It also involves thanking participants. The final stage of data analysis and writing up findings is all about what you know at the end of usability test through observation and listening. In summary, usability testing is suitable where there is big budget, focused questions and the designers and developers understand usability already (Dana, 2009, Lidwell, Holden & Butler, 2010).

References

Dubois, E., Scapin, D. L., Charfi, S., & Bortolaso, C. (2013). Usability recommendations for Mixed Interactive Systems: extraction and integration in a design process. In Human factors in augmented reality environments (pp. 181-199). Springer New York.

Rhodes, J. S. (2005, January 25). Investing in usability: Testing versus training. Boxes and Arrows. Retrieved on 11th Sep 2014, from http://boxesandarrows.com/investing-in-usability-testing-versus-training/Dana Chrisnell. (2009). Usability Testing Demystified. Published in Usability, User Research · 23 Comments.

Lidwell, W., Holden, K., & Butler, J. (2010). Universal principles of design revised and updated: 125 ways to enhance usability, influence perception, increase appeal, make better design decisions, and teach through design. Rockport Pub.