Pluralistic Walkthroughs
Purpose
Benefits
- Uncovers problems even when correct answer is reached.
- Fosters quick, detailed solutions.
- Obtains buy-in from developers.
- Helps build a set of heuristics to use if also doing a heuristic
review.
Limitations
- Works best with confined navigation pathways, less well for
browsing and exploration.
- Time consuming and awkward; the whole group waits for every
member to complete a subtask.
- Looks only at a narrow path of travel.
Method
- Team-based inspection. Teams consist of three types of participants:
representative users, developers, and usability professionals.
- Participants are given a user profile and a use case/task scenario.
- Each participant assumes the role of the user and works from
the same task scenario.
- Although performed as a group activity, each participant walks
through the design independently recording sequence of action
and problems.
- There is no discussion until each participant records his/her
comments. The users speak first before the developers or usability
professionals.
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Instructions
for the Test Administrator
- Prepare a user profile(s) based on the projected user population.
- Write a use case/task scenario for each user profile. Break
task into discrete subtasks.
- Select user(s) representative of the user profile.
- Invite key product developers and usability team members to
be part of the walkthrough. (Remember you don't want too large
a group, as each will be providing individual feedback.)
- Present all team members with the instructions, ground rules,
user profile and task scenario.
- Have participants go through the task scenario one subtask at
a time, recording their sequence of action and any problems encountered.
Participants wait until all have completed the subtask.
- Allow the user(s) to talk about their sequence of actions and
any problems they encountered in performing the subtask.
- Repeat for each subtask.
The participation of users is highly appreciated, and they will
receive a gift coupon!
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Acknowledgements
Nielson, Jakob and Mack, Robert Usability Inspection Methods,
1994
Gribbons, William: Course Notes: Usability Inspections, Bentley
College
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