UT ENGINEERING NEWS
Contact Info:
Jamie Puryear, 512.232.5550, jpuryear@mail.utexas.edu
September 27, 2002

Laura Faulkner Develops and Presents New Approach to Usability Testing

Austin, Texas - Laura Faulkner - Research Engineer at UT-Austin - spoke recently at the 4th International Conference on Methods and Techniques in Behavioral Research on a new quantitative approach to usability testing.

Faulkner's oral presentation, titled "Quantifying complex human behavior during system usability testing", detailed her newly developed approach to usability testing: the Optimal Path Test Method. This new method has revolutionized the way testing is conducted resulting is concrete, consistent results.

In the past, traditional usability testing was conducted in an ad hoc manner. This un-reliant form of testing resulted in opinion rather than fact as different usability test professionals relied on personal observations to decipher where the usability problem lay. The results were not consistent across the tested group and unable to provide a glimpse at human behavior during the testing.

Faulkner's Optimal Test Method has changed the face of testing. It is based on three levels of users performing the exact same task which provides true results that can be compared across multi-levels. Through analyzing data by group level and by test element, the Optimal Test Method reveals where usability problems exist and also provides clues to the type of usability problem that was being encountered. Ultimately, the Optimal Path Test Method provides results that are consistent across testers and are repeatable. The concrete results brought about from the Optional Path Test Method translate to mean better quality research and eventually findings.

In addition to being a Research Engineer, Faulkner also functions as a Scientist Associate in information systems at Applied Research Laboratories, UT-Austin. Faulkner is a Ph.D. candidate, holds a Master's degree in Psychology, a Bachelor of Science in Anthropology, and an Associate's Degree in Sociology. Her professional associations include the Usability Professionals Association and the National Technical Services Association. Faulkner is currently Chair of UT-Austin's Software Quality Institute Advisory Board.

About the Software Quality Institute

Founded in 1993 to meet the educational needs of software professionals, the Software Quality Institute (SQI) is the College of Engineering's answer to the software industry's demand for lifelong learning solutions that are flexible, innovative, and made a significant contribution to professional competitiveness. Through innovative teaching, SQI informs and educates software producers and users about issues vital to the production and application of high-quality software. SQI specializes in practitioner-to-practitioner training with an emphasis on hands-on practical workshops.