Data Collection Tools - I

Taking notes during the typical usability testing session can be incredibly difficult. If you are moderating the test and taking notes yourself, your attention will be divided between recording what you observe and observing what is happening now. We strongly encourage you to enlist someone else to take notes or record data if at all possible. If it isn't possible, you should give even greater consideration to designing the most efficient, effective data collection tools (keeping in mind that by "data collection tool" we mean anything from a basic Word document with space for notes to sophisticated tracking software).
The purpose of the data collection instruments is to expedite the collection of all data pertinent to the test objectives. The intent is to collect data during the test as simply, concisely, and reliably as possible. Having a good data collection tool will assist analysis and reporting as well.
There are many data measures from which to choose, and these should be tied back to the test objectives and research questions. Let us not get ahead of ourselves though. Before simply collecting data, you need to consider the following six basic questions:
- What data will address the problem statement(s) in your test plan?
■ How will you collect the data?
■ How will you record the data?
■ How do you plan to reduce and analyze the data?
■ How and to whom will you report the data?
- What resources are available to help with the entire process?
The answers to these questions will drive the development of the instruments, tools, and even the number of people required to collect the data.
Data collection should never just be a hunting expedition, where you collect information first, and worry about what to do with it later. This holds true even for the most preliminary type of exploratory testing. If you take that approach, you run the risk of matching the data to hoped-for results.
Also, an imprecise shotgun approach typically results in an unwieldy amount of data to reduce and analyze, and tends to confuse more than enlighten. The type of data you collect should be as clear in your mind as
possible before the test and should be tied directly to the questions and issues you are trying to resolve.