Clickable Prototype
We built our clickable prototype in Figma to test how an iPhone user might interact with our app, which targets long periods of screen usage with various intervention techniques. Our prototype has both an onboarding and post-onboarding flows to test different aspects of how a user might interact with our app and how intuitive some of our design choices were. We hope that users will find it easy to set up interventions, check stats, and understand what the app will do to intervene during long scrolling sessions. Here’s the link to the Figma prototype of our app with onboarding and post-onboarding flows:
Usability Testing Script
Introduction
Hi, ___________. My name is ___________, and I’m going to be walking you through this session today. You probably already have a good idea of why we asked you here, but let me go over it again briefly. We’re asking people to try using a prototype of an app that we’re working on that aims to reduce our users’ screen time, so we can see whether it works as intended. The session should take about half an hour. The first thing I want to make clear right away is that we’re testing the app, not you. You can’t do anything wrong here. In fact, this is probably the one place today where you don’t have to worry about making mistakes. As you use the app, I’m going to ask you as much as possible to try to think out loud: to say what you’re looking at, what you’re trying to do, and what you’re thinking. This will be a big help to us. Also, please don’t worry that you’re going to hurt our feelings. We’re doing this to improve it, so we need to hear your honest reactions.
If you have any questions as we go along, just ask them. I may not be able to answer them right away, since we’re interested in how people do when they don’t have someone sitting next to them to help. But if you still have any questions when we’re done, I’ll try to answer them then. And if you need to take a break at any point, just let me know. With your permission, we’re going to record what happens on the screen and our conversation. The recording will only be used to help us figure out how to improve the app, and it won’t be seen by anyone except the people working on this project. And it helps me, because I don’t have to take as many notes. If you would, I’m going to ask you to sign a simple permission form for us. It just says that we have your permission to record you, and that the recording will only be seen by the people working on the project.
Do you have any questions so far?
** Give them a recording permission form and a pen. While they sign it, start the screen recorder on your laptop.
Background Questions
Ok. Before we look at anything, I’d like to ask you just a few quick questions!
- To get started, could you tell us a bit about yourself?
- Look at your screen time data for the past week.
- How does it make you feel to see your screen time? And why?
- What kinds of things do you spend time doing on your phone?
- Have you ever tried to limit your phone’s screen time? If yes, can you describe your experience – what worked and what didn’t?
- What kinds of things do you like to do off your screen?
Home page Tour
Ok, great. We’re done with the questions, and we can start looking at things. First, I’m going to ask you to open up our app. Now, before you start doing anything, just look at the first screen and tell me what you make of it: what strikes you about it, what you think you can do with it, and what it’s for. Just take a look around.You can scroll if you want, but please don’t click (or tap) on anything yet.
The Tasks
Thank you. Now I’m going to ask you to try doing some specific tasks. I’m going to read each one out loud. Please try to think out loud as you go along the process.
- Task 1: Try checking your previous screen time data through the app
- Task 2: Try setting up a specific intervention on one of your most used apps
- Task 3: Try deleting an intervention
- Task 4: Set permissions in settings
** Allow the user to proceed until you don’t feel like it’s producing any value or the user becomes very frustrated
Probing
Thanks for helping us out. Before we end, there’s a couple things that I’d like to double check with you and the team. Please give me a moment.
Potential general questions to ask:
- We noticed that you struggled to find settings, what made it difficult?
- We saw that there was maybe some confusion about what the different labels on the intervention creation screens were about, can you talk more about what made that confusing?
- I saw that it was really easy for you to set up intervention settings, what do you think made it easier?
** Generally follow up as necessary based on specific interactions during the usability test
Wrapping Up
Do you have any questions for me, now that we’re done going through the app?
** Give the user their incentive or remind them it will be sent to them. Stop screen recording and save the file. Thank them!
