Run usability tests on drupal admin

Once this task is confirmed I'd like to make another one of the same format that is based on lower-level tasks, like browsing, commenting, registering, changing password or user name, node creation and editing.

Take 2. If there are no other recommendations I'll GHOPify it and create one or two more task ideas of the same format for different user roles.
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Run usability tests on drupal admin

Run at least three sessions to test the usability of drupal's customization and configuration admin user-interfaces.

To do this you will need 3 or more volunteers who will evaluate drupal. It is important that everyone understands that Drupal is being tested, not the evaluator (your volunteers). The evaluator can not pass or fail.

Ask each of the volunteers to do some basic configuring and customizing on a newly installed Drupal site. Give them a scenario that will inspire them to do it realistically. e.g. "Your soccer club needs a web site with about pages and news articles or a blog".

You might like to give them more detailed instructions and/or specific tasks. See the UMN formal usability testing plan for ideas on how to do this. Your tasks and instructions need not be as detailed or complex, but they should give the evaluator a clear goal and help inspire creative things like colors, setting the site name and slogan.

To familiarize yourself with the tasks and usability tests, it is useful to do you're own test and report, before running the tests with evaluators. This will help you gain confidence with finding issues and taking notes on them. The evaluator must be able to do all the tasks through drupal's UI and not need to write any code or change files.

While observing new users, take note of:

• what the evaluator wants to do first.
• where the evaluator gets lost or confused.
• where the evaluator spends their time in the first 30 minutes of the session
• where the evaluator spends their time in the first few seconds of each new UI / page
• when and where they search for help
• where they search for help

Write a report that summarizes your findings. We're looking for a level of
detail and format similar to Factory Joe's Usability report on drupal 6 beta 1. See also the reports from GHOP tasks #8 and #7.

There are two completed GHOP tasks that are usability tests like this one; #7 (d.o), and #8 (d.o). Those tasks focussed on drupal installation. This task focuses on site configuration and customization.

Before planning your usability tests read about how to do usability testing:

• http://www.uxmatters.com/MT/archives/000183.php
• http://openusability.org/
• http://keycontent.org/tiki-index.php?page=Usability+Tools
• http://factoryjoe.pbwiki.com/FeedbackForDrupal6

Deliverables: This task is complete when the report has been submitted to by the student, and reviewed and approved by the mentor or other appropriate drupal community member. The report should be made available in a widely available format like plain text, html or PDF.

You can include screenshots for bonus points. These could be annotated using flickr's annotate tool. (Tag them with drupalui if using flickr.)

Bevan is the owner / mentor of this task.

Thanks for your comments Dan. I've attached the two text files with a new paragraph including your suggestion and some tips on debriefing. I created the google issue: http://code.google.com/p/google-highly-open-participation-drupal/issues/... and a d.o issue in the user experience project: http://drupal.org/node/211072

he he!! Thanks! :)