Preparing Experiment Materials
Preparing experiment materials involves creating and organising the prototypes and other design materials necessary for conducting evaluative experiments. This activity ensures that the experiment sessions are structured, efficient, and capable of gathering the intended insights.
Goal
We need to evaluate a potential solution. Therefore we need to prepare representative materials, based on the method chosen, to ensure that our experiment efforts are efficient, effective, and capable of yielding meaningful insights.
Context
The quality of the outcomes of evaluative experiments is heavily influenced by the quality of the experiment materials.
Inputs
| Artifact | Description |
|---|---|
| Experiment Plan | A detailed document outlining the experiment objectives, methods, timeline, and success criteria. |
Outputs
| Artifact | Description |
|---|---|
| Usability Test Guide | A guide for the moderator to follow during a usability test, including the tasks to be performed, the questions to be asked, and the data to be collected. |
| Prototypes | A prototype of the solution or feature to be evaluated. The fidelity of the prototype should be appropriate for the level of confidence in the solution and the assumption being tested. |
| Digital Assets | A live webpage or other digital asset to be used in a Landing Page, Fake Door, A/B or multivariate experiment. |
| Process Flow | The process flow or user journey to be evaluated in a Wizard of Oz or Concierge test, including all relevant touchpoints and interactions. |
Anti-patterns
- Overly Complex Materials: Creating experiment materials that are too detailed or complex, potentially confusing participants or experimenters.
- Lack of Alignment with Objectives: Preparing materials that do not align closely with the experiment objectives, leading to irrelevant data collection.
- One-size-fits-all Approach: Using the same materials for every experiment session, regardless of the unique needs of each study or participant group.
- Ignoring Participant Feedback: Failing to update or revise materials based on feedback from participants or findings from previous experiment sessions.