Usability Testing for TrueCrypt Instructions

Zephyrus's picture

For the online TrueCrypt instruction sets I'm creating I plan on performing a document markup usability test. Because the instruction set for TrueCrypt is a technical procedure with steps, this type of test will provide several key areas of feedback. These include answering the questions to "Can they understand it?" and "Can they do it?". In the document markup usability test a peer reviews the document as they follow the procedures and mark places where they get confused. Having this type of feedback will mark places of the document that aren't user-centered, or lack appropriate detail and can be used to improve the document in this area when performing the revising and editing steps.

This is the better approach for usability testing for this type of instruction set, as having a user perform a read and locate test wouldn't provide valuable feedback due to the instructions step-by-step organization. A document markup usability test is also a stronger test than a survey test for this particular instruction set test because the document markup test focuses on the procedures and the users ability to perform the task. If the instruction set leaves out a step or describes something vaguely, the document markup test will highlight this area of the instructions for improvement. The survey test's feedback could miss these spots as users could still get the main idea even with a gap in the actual procedures for setting up an encrypted drive using TrueCrypt.

Thankfully with this set of instructions, there isn't a need to be concerned with answering the "Is it safe?" question for usability testing. Since the instructions will be concerned with utilizing TrueCrypt and not installing it, no hardware, software, or data could be damaged or destroyed using it.

Tags

Nathaniel's picture

Zephyrus, make sure you tag your reading responses correctly. Generally, if it can't be found, it doesn't exist.

I edited the settings for the

Zephyrus's picture

I edited the settings for the tag, will this update it correctly?

In the right place now

Nathaniel's picture

Yes, it is in the correct category now.

Document Markup on the Web

jstn's picture

I think that your plan to use document markup has potential to be both effective and advantageous in obtaining feedback, however, since you are presenting your instructions in the form of a website, I wonder how you will do that? I, too, am using the web to deliver my instructions and had really considered using the document markup test, but I couldn’t figure out exactly how the readers could respond in the appropriate manner. How do you plan to allow users to interface with the instructions via your website so that they can provide real time clarification of the steps that need revision? Aside from that, it appears that you are progressing well and are already prepared to execute the upcoming steps.

Website markup

Chris's picture

I thought of a couple of ways you could still use document markup with your website approach. First you could have the user print your document and write on it. They could then scan it and send it back. Sounds like a pain though and not all may have a scanner. You could have your testers copy sections from your website where they had problems. This way you would know right where they are talking about. I think this may be one of the best ways. Also your testers could reference problem areas by step or section numbers, depending on how you formatted your instructions. This way they could simply say something like in step 4 I had a hard time knowing which box you wanted me to click on.

-Chris