Leading Rather Than Enabling

Behavior that leads rather than enables is usually caused by the test moderator being too close to the product and unintentionally providing cues to £ participant about correct performance. The test moderator's tone of voice a nod of the head, cutting short tasks when the participant struggles, even the type of question the test moderator asks can all influence the participant and the test results. This potential problem is the main reason why assessment and validation testing is often conducted from a control room, although subtle hints are still possible even from there. To avoid the problem of leading rather than enabling, remember that you are there to collect data and to ensure that the test environment remains as neutral as possible.