Usability lab

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

A Usability lab is an environment where users are studied interacting with a system for the sake of evaluating the system's usability.

In other words, a Usability lab is a place where Usability testing is done.

Typically, the user sits in front of a personal computer, alongside a facilitator who gives the user tasks to perform. Behind a one-way mirror, a number of observers watch the interaction, make notes, and ensure the activity is recorded. Usually, sessions will be filmed and the software will log interaction details.

[edit] External links

• Survey of Usability Labs — Summary statistics for size and layout of 13 usability labs
• Global Usability Knowledge Management (GUKM) — Map of usability labs worldwide from Florida State University's Learning Systems Institute
• Pictures of a Lab — Some pictures of a commercial used Usability Lab.