Understanding HCI

Question Asking Protocol

What is Question Asking Protocol?

During a usability test, besides letting the test users to verbalize their thoughts as in the thinking aloud protocol, the testers prompt them by asking direct questions about the product

Why Use it?

Question Asking Protocol is used n order to understand the users mental model of the system and the tasks, and where they have trouble in understanding and using the system. This is a more natural way than the thinking-aloud method in letting the test user to verbalize their thoughts.

Participants Needed

Experts

1 expert is required

Users

At least 4 users are required

Task List

  1. Providing the test users with the product to be tested (or a prototype) and a set of tasks to perform.
  2. Ask the participants to perform the tasks using the product, and explain what they're thinking about while working with the product's interface (same as think aloud)
  3. Also ask them pointed, direct questions about the product; for example, "How would you send the email message?"
  4. Their response, either in terms of the product being tested or in other products from their past experience, will provide insights into their mental model of the product.

Conditions required

Examples

Limitations Of method

Exercise

Reading