Being a successful usability test session moderator requires more than just watching a participant use an interface. It requires complete focus, finesse and flexibility.
Here are five tips you can use to take your moderating to the next level:
Connect & establish rapport. At the beginning of the session, find ways to help the participant relax. Remember that the participant is being asked to use something they’ve never seen before in the presence of strangers, mysterious “observers behind the mirror” and the ever-present video camera. Before diving into the official test script, ask a few bland, non-threatening questions to help break the ice. For example, inquire if they had to travel a long distance to attend the session, or if they had difficulty locating the test facility.
During the session, use mirroring to build rapport. To “mirror”, subtly copy the participant’s body language and tone of voice. If they sit back and speak softly, copy their style. If they lean forward in their chair and speak animatedly, do the same. The participant will not consciously notice you are copying their behavior, but will feel more at ease.
Listen actively. Successful moderating requires more than simply hearing what the participant says. Use active listening to focus your attention on the participant’s words, behavior and body language. Two components of active listening are to repeat and summarize the participant’s words. Repeating phrases creates a natural break in the conversation and allows you time to fully process the statement. It also helps you remember what happened in session. Summarizing the participant’s words helps to condense rambling, loosely constructed thoughts into easy to understand concepts. When summarizing, always let the participant know you are attempting to summarize their words, and that they should correct you if you misstate something.
Stay open & neutral. Participants often say and do unusual things while in session. Even though you might be surprised by their behavior, be careful not to telegraph your opinions or emotions. (If you are actively listening, this task will not seem as daunting.) If a participant says something you do not agree with, or misstates what they believe to be fact, control your reaction. Keep your facial expression open and even and ask them to explain further. Instead of judging what they say, be fascinated by how their mind works and attempt to learn as much as you can about their unique point of view.
Go with the flow. Sometimes a testing protocol is so detailed that you feel tied to the question order. But continually cutting off your participant from explaining what they mean because they’re answering question 5 instead of question 2 does not encourage rapport. If you disrupt the natural conversation flow because you are afraid to stray from the script, eventually, the participant may resort to one-word answers or they will look to you to lead their responses instead of giving you their true opinion.
Having a natural conversation that effortlessly flows from topic to topic produces more valuable results than doggedly following your test plan. Feel free to stray from the script as areas of interest emerge, just make sure to double-back and cover any missed territory. Part of what makes usability testing so rewarding is that you often uncover areas of inquiry you did not expect. Just make sure to alert your client to your strategy so they don’t become concerned when you go off-script!
Don’t forget about the backroom. Although actively managing the session requires significant focus on the participant, it’s important to remember the clients observing in the backroom. Because these individuals are often responsible for implementing recommendations that emerge from testing, it’s important that they are engaged in the session.
Repeating and summarizing what the participant says helps engage the backroom. Another technique for keeping observers interested is to amplify a participant’s words or actions. For example, if a participant says “I don’t understand this at all” you can amplify this important statement for the backroom: “You just told me you don’t understand this at all. Can you please tell me more specifically what you don’t understand?” After the participant explains, summarize the participant's confusion for the observers. Amplifying the participant’s confusion helps call attention to the problem and alert those observing to tune in.
Effective moderating is a complex skill that requires significant effort. Even though it’s challenging to keep all of these techniques in mind while in session, it’s worth taking the time to practice and incorporate them into your own moderating style. Ultimately, better moderating makes for a more effective usability test because it allows you to obtain more accurate data from the participant. It also creates a more compelling experience for the backroom. Another benefit to mastering these techniques is that they also work well outside the testing room. Use them to draw out sullen teenagers, taciturn spouses, shy dinner party companions… the possibilities are endless!