A test script is a document that guides you and your participants through a usability testing session. It helps you to plan, conduct, and evaluate your test effectively and efficiently. In this article, we will explain the steps for preparing a test script for moderating usability testing sessions.
The first step is to define your goals for the test. What are you trying to learn from your users? What are the key tasks or scenarios that you want them to perform? How will you measure their success and satisfaction? Your goals should be clear, specific, and measurable, and aligned with your research questions and hypotheses.
The next step is to choose your participants. Who are your target users? How many of them do you need to test with? How will you recruit and screen them? What are the criteria and characteristics that define them? Your participants should be representative of your user population, diverse in their backgrounds and experiences, and motivated to participate.
The third step is to prepare your materials. What are the tools and resources that you need for the test? This may include your prototype or product, a device or platform to run it on, a recording or note-taking software, a consent form, a pre-test questionnaire, a post-test survey, and a thank-you note or incentive. Your materials should be ready, tested, and accessible before the test.
The fourth step is to write your script. This is the core of your test document, where you outline the structure and content of your test session. Your script should include an introduction, where you explain the purpose and process of the test, a warm-up, where you ask some background questions and build rapport with the participant, a main part, where you ask the participant to perform the tasks or scenarios and observe their behavior and feedback, and a wrap-up, where you thank the participant and ask for their overall impressions and suggestions. Your script should be concise, flexible, and consistent.
The fifth step is to review and rehearse your script. This is where you check your script for clarity, completeness, and accuracy, and make any necessary revisions or adjustments. You should also practice your script with a colleague or a friend, and get their feedback on your wording, timing, and tone. Reviewing and rehearsing your script will help you to improve your confidence, credibility, and communication skills.
The final step is to conduct a pilot test. This is where you run your script with one or two participants who are similar to your target users, but not part of your main sample. A pilot test will help you to identify and fix any issues or problems with your script, materials, or setup, and to validate your goals, tasks, and metrics. A pilot test will also give you an opportunity to refine your moderation skills and techniques.
This step is often not taken seriously enough. Schedule a 30-minute slot for a thorough tech check, including your laptop or external microphone & camera, internet connection, note-taking or transcription tool, screen sharing, and prototype. Then, conduct an actual pilot test with a colleague, not just by yourself. Otherwise, all the other effort might go to waste. It’s very important to do this step, so don’t underestimate it!
My most important take away on this is that the script should be written in the same way a user under "normal "circumstances would interact with your service. So do not add "Now search for [word] and see what you get. Try to formulate your questions more wide "If you are unaware of X or Y how would you go at it? Then if search is not a method chosen that is also information then you can add "If you searched for it how would you do?"