Athena User Interface Usability Test

Congratulations! You have already successfully completed the first part of this test. In tasks 1 and 2, you logged on as gtest, launched Netscape and this test page.

We have prepared a list of tasks for you to complete. Though you should try to complete all of the tasks listed, you are not limited to doing just those things. In fact, we actively encourage you to explore the system as you would the first time you would use it in real life.

Don't forget to keep talking about what you are thinking and doing. It is very useful for us to know what you are thinking about the prototype. Since we can't read your mind, we'll ask you to think out loud instead. Feel free to ask questions out loud, though we probably won't answer them unless you need help interpreting our intentions for the task list.

Remember: this not a test of your UNIX proficiency. We are testing the user-friendliness of the prototype. We hope you enjoy playing with the system.

1. Using the file manager, go to /mit/aui/evaluation/testing
2. Find the file engineers.txt and copy it to the directory /mit/gtest.
3. Open /mit/gtest/engineers.txt and fix the typo in the last verse by changing the number "8" to "7".
4. Save the file.

Email the corrected version to beland@mit.edu.

1. Go to http://web.mit.edu/moira/
2. Add yourself to the mailing list "reuse".

Dress up your background screen. Put a picture in your background.

1. Go to /mit/aui/evaluation/testing/backgrounds and select a graphic.
2. Change your background image to this image.
   

Check the weather outside.

At the athena% prompt, type:

add -f weather
weather bos -o

Please, answer all of the questions that apply to you and click on Submit at the bottom of this survey. We are particularly interested in your comments about this new interface. Since you logged on as gtest, not as yourself, all information is anonymous. Thank you for your help.

1. If you have previous Athena experience, do you feel this version of the system is a change for the better? Yes No

Why?

2. If you have previous Athena experience, are there aspects of the system that you feel have changed for the worse? Yes No

Why?

3. If you have previous Athena experience, are there aspects of the system that you feel have changed, but have neither really improved or gotten worse?
Yes No

Why?

6. Was your previous experience using a Windows or Macintosh system useful in helping you complete these task? Yes No

7. Were you able to use the knowledge from previous computer experience to navigate and maneuver in this environment? Yes No

8. What would have made the experience easier?

Rate the following on a scale of 1 to 5 where 1 means the prototype system is much worse than some other system and 5 is much better. NA means you have no applicable experience to compare.

What would you change about the prototype, if anything?

Gender: M F

Affiliation with MIT:

Class Year, if appropriate:

Previous computer experience...

Finally, please let us know what interested you in participating in this experiment?

Thank you very much for helping us improve the Athena User Interface!

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Last modified: January 15, 2001