How do you test voice and gesture interfaces?

1 Define your goals and scenarios

Before you start testing, you need to define your goals and scenarios for your voice and gesture interface. What are the main tasks and use cases that you want to test? How do you expect users to interact with your interface, and what feedback and guidance do you provide? How do you measure success and satisfaction? You should also consider the context and environment of your interface, such as the noise level, the lighting, the distance, and the distractions.

2 Choose your participants and devices

Next, you need to choose your participants and devices for your test. You should recruit participants who match your target audience and have relevant experience and expectations for your interface. You should also test your interface on different devices and platforms that support voice and gesture input, such as smart speakers, smartphones, tablets, wearables, or VR/AR headsets. You should also ensure that your devices have good quality microphones, speakers, cameras, and sensors, and that they are connected to a reliable network.

3 Prepare your test materials and tools

Then, you need to prepare your test materials and tools for your test. You should create a test script that guides your participants through the tasks and scenarios, and includes clear instructions, questions, and prompts. You should also prepare a consent form, a pre-test questionnaire, a post-test questionnaire, and a rating scale to collect data and feedback from your participants. You should also choose the tools that you will use to record and analyze your test, such as screen capture software, voice transcription software, video cameras, eye trackers, or motion trackers.

4 Conduct your test and collect data

Now, you are ready to conduct your test and collect data. You should set up your test environment to be comfortable, quiet, and realistic for your interface. You should also explain the purpose and process of the test to your participants, and ask them to sign the consent form and complete the pre-test questionnaire. You should then ask them to perform the tasks and scenarios using your interface, and observe and record their behavior, voice, gestures, expressions, and reactions. You should also ask them to think aloud, answer questions, and provide feedback during the test. After the test, you should ask them to complete the post-test questionnaire and the rating scale.

5 Analyze your data and report your findings

Finally, you need to analyze your data and report your findings. You should review and organize your data, such as the screen recordings, the voice transcripts, the video clips, the eye tracking data, or the motion tracking data. You should also look for patterns, trends, errors, problems, and insights in your data, and compare them with your goals and metrics. You should then create a report that summarizes your findings, highlights the strengths and weaknesses of your interface, and provides recommendations for improvement.

6 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?