What Not to Forget When Planning Your Study

A usability study can be executed without any prior planning, and it is possible that it will still uncover useful insights. Nevertheless, similar to any project approach, following a process and planning the various steps are critical success factors. There is no downside to planning a study upfront. The time and effort involved help to prevent unnecessary discussions down the line, a misalignment of study goals, and unhappiness with deliverables.

Communication is key to successfully completing a remote usability study. All stakeholders have to be in agreement about the framework of the study. That framework consists of the following elements:

• The product being tested
• The goal, budget, and scope of the study
• The test environment
• The participants
• The study methodology
• The schedule
• The deliverables

Each study should be kicked off with a session involving all of the stakeholders in order to establish a consensus on the framework of the study and to set the right expectations for the execution and the expected results. Ideally, the stakeholders will be kept aware of the progress of the study, and will perhaps be involved in its execution.