A Summary of Talking with Participants During a Usability Test
This article gives a good understanding on three specific techniques to use when facilitating a usability test. These techniques are the echo, the boomerang, and the Columbo technique. The purpose of these techniques is to help the facilitator learn when to speak to the individual and what to say to them. They also help the facilitator in recognizing when and how to answer questions to get more information from the participant.
The boomerang technique is when the facilitator responds to a participant’s questions with a question that in return directs the participant’s question back towards them. This type of technique gets the participant to figure out the answer by themselves. These responses could look something like, “What do you think?” or “what would you do?”
The echo technique is when the facilitator repeats the last phrase or word the user said, echoing the words back to the participant in the manner of a question; also by adjusting your tone, making it clear that it is a question. The goal in using the echo technique is for the facilitator to better understand the participant’s comments, getting the participant to further clarify their comment.
The Columbo technique is when the facilitator plays more of an investigative role instead of probing to get the answers they want. The facilitator will use open ended questions to get the participant to add their observations, completing the question or sentence. This technique is a little like the echo technique as it gets the participant to come up with more information giving the facilitator a better understanding.
This article was very informative and will help significantly, as I will be acting as the facilitator for my usability test. I will try to follow the tips and information that was given in this article when speaking to the participant. With these tips, hopefully I can get more accurate and useful data.
References
Vizard, L. (2017, February 6). The Art of Facilitation: Tips for Usability Testing. Retrieved from Adobe Blog: https://theblog.adobe.com/the-art-of-facilitation-tips-for-usability-testing/
Sherman James 