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One of the things that I've quickly found out when doing usability testing and field studies is that it's hard to keep up with the pace of what's going on and take sufficient notes. How do you cope with this? Do you write in shorthand or use some other system that makes note-taking quicker? Do you just record everything and go through it later? |
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In a usability test I focus on recording critical incidents and only take short notes speculating about why people have problems. Having a second person to record observations also helps. If you use a software like morae, you could set markers at interesting points in the video, so you don't have to go through everything later, I rarely have the time for that. For field studies I find it important to prepare them really well, so I know exactly what it is that I want to find out. I then prepare a checklist of questions to guide me through interviews. If the project budget allows it, I take a second person with me that also knows as much as possible about the goals of the field study and whose job it is to write down every little detail while I ask lots and lots of questions. Recording in field studies is a no-go, people don't like being recorded. This is even worse than in tests, where people seem to accept the fact that recording is part of the laboratory situation. |
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I have my own system of symbols and icons - a visual language designed to facilitate memory recall rather than explicitly capture all knowledge. Just have to make sure I write up the notes within 24 hours afterwards. Looks a bit like Egyptian hieroglyphics. |
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In usability tests I tend to produce an outline document of the timeline of the test before we start - so I can just note down what's happening in the right "chunk" of the timeline without having to note down the stage of the test or time. If space allows I sometimes do multiple users on the same paper - using different coloured pens for each. Makes it easy to spot similar problems in similar stages. If appropriate I also try populate the timeline with checkboxes for things like task success/failure, routes taken, etc. - so it's harder to forget to note down essential details, and easier to find when you need to summarise. With field studies I tend to prefer a stack of index cards clipped together over a notebook. I find it easier to use on the move (I found this reference which sounds similar to the way I use the cards). Two different coloured pens. One for what I recording what I actually see/hear. One for my interpretations/thoughts at the time. I also try (and sometimes fail :-) to discipline myself to write up the notes again as soon as I can. Not necessarily type them up - but copy them out again in a neater form - and expand any abbreviations, etc. before I forget what the opaque acronym I scribbled down in the corner of the page actually meant. |
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If it's a usability test, you should try using Morae's data logging tool. It helps you turn each note into a time-coded 'pointer' into the participant video. It's like the Livescribe pen but with video. You give each observation a unique code (e.g. "X" for usability problem, "N" for negative comment, "B" for bug) and (optionally) type a longer note. Later, you can search for your observations by type (e.g. "Show me all the 'X' usability issues"). You can then export them to Excel, add a couple of columns ('priority', 'possible fix') and submit this as a preliminary report. I personally find written notes a poor substitute, since I make fewer observations when I need to write them down and I don't have the context to remember the point I was making. Techsmith has a good video on data logging with Morae and I've written about exporting your data to Excel and creating a report. |
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It's funny. I take notes, but I never go back and look at them. And if I look at them now, I can't even read or understand them. However, the taking of the notes, helps me remember naturally. One person I know uses one of those pens that records audio while he writes. LiveScribe. He swears by it. If it's critical to record everything then use LiveScribe or a Video camera. For me, I am usually looking for a few nuggets of wisdom or inspiration. Notes don't help with that. |
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Why do I seem like the only user experience professional who prefers to use his laptop to write down notes? :\ Seriously, I can't write that fast (not fast enough to keep up with participants in a usability tests anyway), so, since I'm a touch typist, I just put my laptop on my lap and start typing away with symbols and all. After I'm done, I could basically copy/paste or just refine what I typed instead of having to move my notes from paper (which gets really tiresome over time). I'd only use paper for throw-away stuff like coming up with new design ideas. Anything else is digital. |
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