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FarRed Usability Rapid Research

@ UCSD Design Lab

This is a usability testing I led at UCSD Design Lab. The high level objective of the study was to test specific design solutions and evaluate the effectiveness of the prototype pupillometer, thus to iterate over the current designs. Some information is removed or modified due to confidentiality.

This project showcases my analytical thinking, where I used both quantitative and qualitative data from usability testing to derive actionable insights, ensuring that the design improvements were grounded in real user feedback and needs.

Disclaimer: The visuals you see on this page are coming from my final UXR report. It is for showcasing my research reporting ability.

Background and Goals

The lab wanted to test the current designs to determine some areas for improvement. Some key goals we have:

Usability Research Goals

  1. Evaluate the effectiveness of the prototype pupillometer in real-world use cases, ensuring it meets users' needs for accuracy and ease of use.
  2. Identify usability issues or pain points in the current design to guide necessary design iterations and improvements.
  3. Assess user satisfaction with the device's interface and interaction design to ensure that it is intuitive and accessible for diverse users.

Design Iteration Goals

  1. Test specific design elements to determine whether they improve the user experience, particularly in terms of data collection accuracy and interaction speed.
  2. Gather feedback on the overall flow of the pupillometer's user interface to refine the design based on real user interactions.
  3. Identify areas for improvement in the current design iteration that could enhance usability in future versions of the product.

Behavioral Data Goals

  1. Measure user error rates and the ease with which users can complete key tasks, such as setting up the device and reading results, to optimize the design for efficiency.
  2. Observe behavioral patterns in how users interact with the device to uncover unspoken difficulties or preferences that could inform future design iterations.
  3. Collect quantitative data on task completion times and accuracy to identify where improvements can reduce user frustration and increase reliability.

Methods

To achieve these goals, I conducted a usability study involving 10 participants to evaluate the effectiveness of the instruction set for assembling the prototype pupillometer. The study consisted of participants completing the eyepiece assembly task while I observed and collected qualitative data on their interactions, specifically focusing on their reliance on the instruction set versus the video tutorial. Additionally, feedback was gathered on the ease of attachment of the eyepiece to the phone, as well as the clarity of the visual cues and instructions provided.

Crucial Insights

The most critical finding was that eight out of ten participants heavily relied on the video tutorial rather than the instruction set, pointing to a lack of clarity in the written instructions. The instruction set lacked clear visual cues and used ambiguous language, making the video the preferred method of guidance.

While most participants found the labeling and creasing of the eyepiece helpful, three users struggled with inserting a key component due to its dexterity demands. Participants reported that key steps in the instruction set were missing, forcing them to rely on external visuals for completion.

Attaching the eyepiece to the phone was generally easier, but six participants were confused about aligning the eyepiece with the camera, indicating a need for better alignment cues. Additionally, the completion bar was misunderstood, with most users viewing it as a notifier rather than an interactive tool.

Overall, the current design of the instruction set was ineffective at providing clear guidance, leading to a heavy reliance on the video tutorial. Without improvements to visual cues, detailed steps, and clearer language, users will continue to struggle with the self-assembly process.

For additional findings and learnings, please contact celinenguy03@gmail.com.

Design Impact

Design Impact

Stakeholder Collaboration Impact

Product Impact

Reflections

Thank you so much for reading! 😁

For more work inquiries or to have a coffee chat, please email me at celinenguy03@gmail.com! 🍵

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