TEST: introduction VR-methods (lesson 5)

Setup for Testing my experience

Main objective for research: what do I want to find out?
Main research question
Subquestions

Taxonomy of usability characteristics

Taxonomy of usability characteristics, Joseph Gabbard, 1997

Methods for testing in Virtual Environments

# Exercise 1: VR versus GUI

1. Define virtual reality and briefly review the major types of VR technology:

• VR-desktops

• Head mounted displays (HMDs)

• Cave Automatic Virtual Environments (CAVEs)

2. Categorise some of the major differences between VR and traditional user interfaces such as GUIs – and how these differences lead to specific types of usability evaluation issues.

# Exercise 2: expert evaluation methods (without users)

https://public-media.interaction-design.org/images/ux-daily/article_130504_hero_59cce909d30de4.20097841.png

• Usability testing in general: https://www.interaction-design.org/literature/topics/usability

• Cognitive Walkthrough: https://www.coursera.org/lecture/ui-testing/cognitive-walkthroughs-CJvl6

• Heuristic Evaluation tool: https://vroxygen.com/VRheuristics-tool-open.html & https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_hY0KFuOqww

Usability Evaluation in Virtual Environments: Classification and Comparison of Methods

Read source: http://people.cs.vt.edu/~bowman/papers/usability_presence.pdf

Figure 1: Evaluation Methods with and without users Have a look at - Context of Evaluation & Type of Results - Generic & Application Specific - Qualitative & Quantitative

Figure 1 (https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Doug_Bowman/publication/200772718/figure/fig1/AS:277477021765632@1443167085064/A-Classification-of-Usability-Evaluation-Methods-for-VEs.png)

Figure 2: Evaluation Methods: how the different methods are related

• User Task Analysis

• Cognitive Walkthrough

• Heuristic Evaluation

• Formative Evaluation

• Summative Evaluation

Figure 2: https://ai2-s2-public.s3.amazonaws.com/figures/2017-08-08/ec86f71d810202e38147d8a7ca2844f0088ae9eb/23-Figure3-1.png

Figure 3: Take assessments (on task analysis, sensory performance and behavioral performance)

Figure 3: (https://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/1743-0003-7-11)

# Exercise 3: create my first testplan

(2016) article

Main objective for research: what do I want to find out?
- Main research question
- Subquestions

Preparation
- What are my assumptions about the users? What do I expect to happen?

Test methods
- What methods will I use to test my VR-experience? Show an overview.
- What are the goals of these methods?
- When should the methods be used?
- What are the benefits of using this methods?
- How are the method's evaluation results applied?

Context & User
- Physical testing environment: degrees of freedom, props or obstacles, 
ergonomic challenges
- Virtual testing environment: degrees of freedom, cognitive load, 
limitations & challenges (like puzzles or overcoming fear of heights)
- Explain the characteristics of test participants (height, hands, 
visual abilities, cognitive abilities) 

Instructions during test
- Specific instructions that I will provide the user.
- Explain how these instructions are related to the research questions
and objective of your test.

Interview questions (qualitative) after test
- Explain how you are going to interview the test participants after
the test
- Write down all questions or topics that you are going to discuss.

Handy information about testing VR hardware & software

https://www.blazemeter.com/blog/user-testing-of-virtual-reality-applications

https://www.blazemeter.com/blog/user-testing-of-virtual-reality-applications

User-centered VE design approach example

Modified user-centered approach to the head-mounted display design cycle adapted from R.G. Eggelston (1997).

https://media.springernature.com/full/springer-static/image/art%3A10.1186%2F1743-0003-7-11/MediaObjects/12984_2008_Article_218_Fig1_HTML.jpg