From: "Corey L. Carlson" <corey@itlabs.umn.edu>
Message-Id: <199802232048.OAA09126@trout.itlabs.umn.edu>
Subject: Today's testing
To: calvin-ui98@dagobah.stwing.upenn.edu (ui 98)
Date: Mon, 23 Feb 1998 14:48:43 -0600 (CST)
User test notes.
Questions I have.
1) Where do we plan to run the test?
Possible locations include EE/CSCI 4-204, EE/CSCI 3-170, My office,
CE 230, ME 308, ACM (if it is open).
The thing I'm worried about most is will the environment ruin the
test. We need somwhere semi-private that a user will not feel
intimidated out of "speaking aloud" as the test goes on. Also we need
2 separate sites (for our project alone not to mention theirs) so that
one test in progress doesn't affect another. (since we have 5 members
each I figure we can test 2 of them at a time while our 5th takes
their test and vice versa).
This does make a difference because I'd like to stage the dummy
mailboxes and the like so we don't keep them waiting for us to set up
the test.
2) What hardware/software do they require? can we test in the same place
or do we have to seek out hardware on which their test will run?
3) How many tasks do we want to give them? I think 2-3 tasks each
should be enough. Which do we assign. Does everyone get the simplest
and one or 2 of the others? Is there a specific task everyone should
do?
4) Do we have a script that contains the background information that
will be given to each tester? We should so we can have some test
consistency and avoid leading the tester to the appropriate choices.
I have inserted comments below that may raise further questions.
To make some tasks possible I had to add specific filename/path
information so I could stage files ahead of time. This may cause a
user testing problem in that it doesn't evaluate the user's desired
namespace for files, but I don't think that is the focus of our
testing anyway.
Scenario 1
Task: (create an archive in the default location with the default
mailbox called "mbox" someplace locatable.)
--Begin comment--
Create an archive in the program's default location with the mailbox
mbox in the working directory.
This is the only way to get to generate immediately. We currently
cannot generate without specifying a source. We cannot test this task.
We probably need to re-implement this for the final product.
perhaps something along this line?
if (file mbox) exists in the working directory allow generate with
output going into a folder mbox_archive in the working directory?
--End comment--
1. Open Mailbox Archive program by typing "mac.tcl".
2. Click on Generate tab.
3. Click on Generate button.
4. Drag File to Exit.
Scenario 2
Task:(create an archive at the default location from a user designated
mail box. "I want that mailbox to be turned into an archive.")
--Begin comment--
Need to turn the task into something more concrete.
Create an archive with the program's default location from the mailbox
mymail in the /tmp/foo directory.
This task is possible IF the appropriate files are staged on the system
--End comment--
1. Open Mailbox Archive program by typing "mac.tcl".
2. Click on Mailboxes tab.
3. Click on browse.
4. Navigate to appropriate mailbox.
5. Click on Generate tab.
6. Click on Generate button.
7. Drag File to Exit.
Scenario 3
Task: (create an archive at a user designated location from a user
designated mail box. "I want that mailbox to be turned into an archive
at that location.")
--Begin comment--
Task needs to be reworded again with specifics.
Create an archive in the /tmp/web/stars directory from the mailbox
/tmp/foo/jmail.
Note: changes made in with this scenario. I
renumbered and re-engineered to make it work (I think)
1. Open Mailbox Archive program by typing "mac.tcl".
2. Click on Mailboxes tab.
3.(old2). Click on Browse.
4. Click add
5. (old3) Enter /tmp/web/stars as the directory to put the archive.
4. Click on OK.
9. Click on Generate tab.
10. Click on Generate button.
11. Drag File to Exit.
--end comments--
Scenario 4
Task: (create an archive at a user designated location from three user
designated mail boxes. "I want these three mailboxes to be turned into
an archive at that location.")
This is certainly biased, but I swapped in my scenario 4 instead of
trying to reengineer the previous version to fit what I'm trying to do
here.
--Begin comments--
Task: create an archive in the /tmp/web/fun directory from three mail boxes
john, mark, sue in the /tmp/foo/ directory.
1. Open Mailbox Archive program by typing "mac.tcl".
2. Click on "Are there multiple input mailboxes for one output archive?" radio
button.
3. Click on Mailboxes tab.
4. Click on browse.
5. Navigate to /tmp/foo/john
6. Click Add.
7. Click on browse.
8. Navigate to /tmp/foo/mark
9. Click Add.
10. Click on browse. (same as step 4 & 7)
11. Navigate to /tmp/foo/sue
12. Click Add.
13. Click on the archives tab.
14. Type in /tmp/web/fun for the output directory.
15. Click on the generate tab.
16. Click on generate.
--End comments--
Scenario 5
(create archives at two user designated locations from a two different user
designated mail boxes. "I want these two mailboxes to be each turned into two
archives at these locations.")
--Begin comments--
We can no longer do this task. The functionality has been removed.
--end comments--
1. Open Mailbox Archive program by typing "mac.tcl".
2. Click on "Is there one output archive for each ofm multiple input
mailboxes?" radio button.
3. Click on Browse.
4. Navigate to appropriate directory to put archives.
5. Click on OK.
6. Click on Mailboxes tab.
7. Click on browse.
8. Navigate an appropriate mailbox.
9. Click Add.
13. Click on browse.
14. Navigate an appropriate mailbox.
15. Click Add.
16.Click on Generate tab.
17. Click on Generate button.
18. Drag File to Exit.
--final comments--
We are down to 3 tasks of 5 can we come up with at least one more and
promise to implement #1 ?
Is it possible to come up with 1 more distinct task before testing
time?
--end final comment--