USABILITY TESTING FOR E-LEARNING

The era of technology is on its boom. Every living being is somewhere touched by its aura and to build this charisma, a workforce is working globally round the clock despite their cultural and geographical diversities. In fact E- learning just simply has become one of the most effective solutions to meet the need of today.

In spite of all the advantages, e-learning has faced problems. Strange, yet true, problems like learner’s rigidity to its adoption and if they are using it then unable to survive through the course, hence dropping out. This actually is a huge problem since it involves a lot of investment and if the learner drops out then it would just become sheer waste. What should be done? Is the question that strikes our mind when we come across such situations? Well, simple, to address such a shortcoming there is usability tests available. These are well-designed tests with a set of principles and methods that holds and captures users’ interest from the beginning to the end.

Usability testing is an integrated concept of software and product design world. To understand the definition of usability a few more components have to be discussed.

Defining Usability

Usability refers to usefulness and its other synonyms are utility, efficacy, benefit, etc. This refers to, what are the benefits of a product, how does it serve its purpose etc. In e-learning courses and its development, the utility is evaluated and assessed and it is often done in haste due to time and budgetary constraints. These constraints often hinder the development properly.

“Learn Ability” should also be added to the definition of usability. It is defined as the speed and expertness with which the users can understand how to use the product.

IF LEARNABILITY is HIGH then USER LEARNING is HIGH (WITHOUT MUCH HELP OF THE MANUALS AND TRAINING.)

Learnability is mainly associated with the learner’s ability, to learn effectively and retain the knowledge and apply it accordingly. Learner knows the strengths and weaknesses and the achievement is high.

One should not forget Motivation as a component of usability. This component has a vital role as lack of motivation generally leads to high dropouts. The support system generated by motivation and the e-learning design results in a higher rate of return. Rewards and bonuses are common motivation technique and the designers to achieve desired results should adopt them.

An overview about the entire topic would be that a targeted usability Testing allows far fetched and better results of learners and optimum understanding.

THE APPROACHE FOR ACHIEVING USABILITY

Usability through Design and
Usability through Targeted Testing.
Both of these approaches should be conducted parallel to each other.

USABILITY THROUGH DESIGN

This approach includes
Utilization of knowledge geared during assessment
Using interface design principles to achieve expertness
Exercising instructional design principles to achieve learn ability.

However, these principles should not be considered in isolation, rather they should be perceived with other principles like feedback, curiosity, relevance, control challenge and contextualization so that a complete motivated learning takes place in the e-learning program.

Audio-visual clues help a learner to understand the consequences of their actions, which provide as a feedback by the interface design. On the other hand Instructional Design provides guidance to help the design succeed.

This helps an authentic and wholesome learning via motivational design. The learner achieves the objective in a relative format and environment.

The advantage of designing a motivation principle design is that the developers can develop an environment full of curiosity, challenge, etc which further helps to improve the competency level of the learner, promoting him/her to learn with a good return.

TARGETED USABILITY TESTS

It is a very approachable, inexpensive technique that ensures the intrinsic motivation and targeted learning of the learners.

          

1.Instructional Audit- It is a design, which is conducted before the actual e-learning course. It is attempted off-line, hence reducing the cost involved and also providing a view about the course. The salient features of this method are:
Classroom model constructed offline with the help of the extracted knowledge online.
Minimum of three users needed for the session.
Follow-up after few weeks as an assessment session.
Feedbacks and recommendations demanded in order to improve the design whenever required.

2.User Interface Design Testing- A brilliant way of extracting preliminary feedback on the user interface of the course. The main features of this design are:
Interface changes can be implemented at an early stage due to early collection of feedbacks in     the development stage, hence saving cost and time.
Cost is minimal.
Approach is via web and phone conferencing, hence saving time.
Use of online collaboration tools allow course at various locations too.

The testing technique should follow certain principles like, the session should be standardizes so that clear feedback is received. And once all sessions are held the feedback should be utilized to develop design recommendations.

3.Personas- It is type of learners that represent the large groups- their needs, goals, characteristics, etc. Personas which are developed for e-learning can provide
Guidance
Make informed decision about the functionality.
    Building personas begin with collecting information and then develop comprehensive detailed     information.

4.Workplace Reality Check- This design is to highlight the reality of a workplace. It is to show what might be the causes that may interfere in the success of the online courses. The working environment, accessibility to various accessories etc. that are involved in the course is available or not.

This session involves interviews that further help the observed issues to rectify.

5.E-Learning Acceptance Testing- A testing designed to provide better view on the success of the course that is going on online. This includes learners’ acceptance and the level of complexity etc. It is a great form of training incase of inexperienced learners.
 Testing begins with – identification of level of complexity, interactivity, bandwidth and language      levels.
 Then learners should be observed either in person or via web and phone conferencing.
 Once learner finishes then observer should interview and learn learners experience with the     course.
 Once all the information is gathered then it should be incorporated as a feedback for the course     (and it is important for the first time users) and design accordingly.


6.Beyond Usability Testing- Usability testing does not stop with the above-mentioned definitions; it goes beyond these steps by including surveys, post- course assessments, interviews so that a valuable impact can be generated. These components help an organization to know whether the goals are achieved or there should be some rectifications required. Hence, usability will always help to develop course that are useful, learnable and motivating.