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ISTQB CT-UT study materials
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ISTQB CT-UT practice questions

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Question 1Usability testing methods and approaches

In usability testing, what is the primary purpose of the think-aloud protocol?

  1. To capture participants' moment-by-moment reasoning, expectations and confusion while they interact with the system Correct answer.
  2. To validate that the system conforms to accessibility conformance levels before release
  3. To measure the statistical significance of task completion rates across large participant samples
  4. To compare the performance of two versions of a system under identical laboratory conditions

Explanation

Think-aloud asks participants to verbalise their thoughts continuously while performing tasks, giving the evaluator direct insight into mental models, expectations and points of confusion that behaviour alone would not reveal. It is a qualitative, formative technique, not a statistical or conformance method.

Question 2Usability testing methods and approaches

A team wants quick, low-cost feedback on a new checkout flow during a design sprint. Which usability approach best fits this constraint?

  1. A moderated laboratory study with eye-tracking over three weeks
  2. A guerrilla usability test with a handful of representative users in an informal setting Correct answer.
  3. A longitudinal field study observing real customers over several months
  4. A full accessibility conformance audit against a formal standard

Explanation

Guerrilla usability testing is a lightweight, rapid technique using a small number of participants in informal settings such as cafés or public spaces, delivering early feedback at low cost. It suits sprint timelines where speed and low overhead matter more than statistical rigour.

Question 3Usability testing methods and approaches

Which statement best describes the role of a heuristic evaluation in usability work?

  1. It records physiological responses such as heart rate during task execution
  2. It is an expert review against recognised usability principles, performed without end users Correct answer.
  3. It measures task completion time and error rate with statistical confidence
  4. It replaces user testing because experts can predict every real user problem

Explanation

Heuristic evaluation is an inspection method in which usability specialists examine an interface against a set of recognised principles, such as Nielsen's heuristics, and report likely violations. It is performed without users and is therefore a complement to, not a replacement for, empirical user testing.

Question 4Usability testing methods and approaches

During a usability test session, a participant repeatedly asks the facilitator whether a particular button is the right one to press. What is the most appropriate facilitator response?

  1. Explain the intended workflow in detail before continuing
  2. Redirect the question back to the participant to understand their expectation Correct answer.
  3. End the session and mark the participant as unsuitable
  4. Confirm the correct button so the session stays on schedule

Explanation

A neutral facilitator avoids giving task answers, because doing so contaminates the data about the interface's self-evidence. Redirecting the question back to the participant preserves the observation of their expectation and reasoning while keeping them engaged.

Question 5Usability testing methods and approaches

Which usability metric is defined as the percentage of participants who successfully complete a task without assistance?

  1. Time on task
  2. Error rate
  3. Satisfaction score
  4. Task completion rate Correct answer.

Explanation

Task completion rate is the proportion of participants who finish a defined task successfully and unaided, and it is a core effectiveness metric in usability testing. It is distinct from efficiency measures such as time on task and from attitudinal measures such as satisfaction.

Question 6Usability testing methods and approaches

A usability practitioner wants to observe how users behave in their own environment over several weeks rather than in a lab. Which method matches this goal?

  1. A/B testing in a controlled laboratory
  2. Cognitive walkthrough
  3. Remote unmoderated usability testing
  4. Diary study combined with contextual inquiry Correct answer.

Explanation

Diary studies capture participants' self-reported experiences over time in their real context, and contextual inquiry observes and interviews users in their actual work setting. Together they address longitudinal, in-context behaviour that a lab cannot reproduce.

Question 7Usability testing methods and approaches

What distinguishes formative usability evaluation from summative usability evaluation?

  1. Formative evaluation requires at least 30 participants and summative requires fewer than five
  2. Formative evaluation is quantitative and summative is qualitative
  3. Formative evaluation is always conducted in a laboratory and summative always in the field
  4. Formative evaluation provides diagnostic feedback to improve a design, whereas summative evaluation measures overall usability against criteria Correct answer.

Explanation

Formative evaluation is iterative and diagnostic, aiming to identify problems and inform design changes during development. Summative evaluation happens later and judges the finished product against predefined usability goals or benchmarks.

Question 8Usability testing methods and approaches

During a cognitive walkthrough, reviewers step through a task by asking a set of questions. Which question is central to this technique?

  1. How many participants reported satisfaction with this screen?
  2. How long does the average user take to complete this step?
  3. Will the user try to achieve the right effect and notice that the correct action is available? Correct answer.
  4. Does the interface satisfy the WCAG contrast requirement at this step?

Explanation

Cognitive walkthrough is an inspection method focused on learnability by exploration. Reviewers ask, for each step, whether the user will try to achieve the right goal, notice the correct action, associate it with the intended effect, and receive informative feedback.

Question 9Usability testing methods and approaches

A usability test report lists a finding that only one participant out of eight encountered. How should the practitioner treat this finding?

  1. Recalculate it as a statistically significant defect rate
  2. Promote it to the top priority regardless of severity
  3. Discard it because a single occurrence is never meaningful
  4. Report it as a potential issue with the observation context, since low-frequency findings can still reveal severe problems Correct answer.

Explanation

A single occurrence can indicate a severe or context-dependent problem, so it should be reported transparently with its observed frequency and circumstances. Frequency alone does not determine importance, and a sample of eight cannot support statistical claims.

Question 10Usability testing methods and approaches

Which technique uses a set of predefined realistic tasks performed by representative users while observers record behaviour, and is the most widely used empirical usability method?

  1. Usability testing with representative users Correct answer.
  2. Feature inspection
  3. GOMS modelling
  4. Pluralistic walkthrough

Explanation

Usability testing observes representative users performing realistic tasks and is the central empirical method for evaluating an interface. It grounds findings in actual user behaviour rather than in expert prediction or formal modelling.

Question 11Usability testing methods and approaches

What is a key advantage of remote unmoderated usability testing over a moderated laboratory session?

  1. It enables larger and more geographically diverse samples at lower cost Correct answer.
  2. It allows the facilitator to probe unexpected behaviour in depth
  3. It guarantees higher data quality because no facilitator bias exists
  4. It removes the need to define tasks and success criteria

Explanation

Unmoderated remote testing lets many participants in different locations complete sessions without travel or facilitator scheduling, reducing cost and increasing reach. The trade-off is less ability to probe unexpected behaviour in the moment.

Question 12Usability testing methods and approaches

A team is evaluating a safety-critical medical device interface where errors could harm patients. Which usability evaluation approach is most appropriate?

  1. A rigorous, controlled usability evaluation with representative clinical users and validated scenarios Correct answer.
  2. A single informal expert review with no user involvement
  3. Guerrilla testing in a public café with five passers-by
  4. An unmoderated online test with anonymous volunteers

Explanation

Safety-critical systems demand controlled, rigorous evaluation with representative users and validated scenarios because the consequences of error are severe. Informal or anonymous testing cannot provide the necessary evidence of safe use.

Question 13Usability testing methods and approaches

Which statement correctly describes the relationship between usability and accessibility in testing?

  1. Accessibility testing replaces usability testing for public sector systems
  2. Accessibility is a subset of usability that only concerns colour contrast
  3. Usability testing always covers accessibility because representative users include disabled people
  4. Usability and accessibility overlap, but accessibility specifically addresses the needs of people with disabilities Correct answer.

Explanation

Usability concerns how effectively, efficiently and satisfactorily specified users achieve goals, while accessibility focuses on removing barriers for people with disabilities. The two overlap substantially, but accessibility has distinct requirements and methods.

Question 14Usability testing methods and approaches

What is the main purpose of a pilot session before a usability test?

  1. To train participants in how to use the system before the test
  2. To validate tasks, equipment, timing and facilitation before real participants are tested Correct answer.
  3. To collect data that will be included in the final analysis
  4. To replace the need for a test plan

Explanation

A pilot run with a stand-in participant checks that tasks are understandable, equipment and recording work, and the session fits the schedule. It exposes procedural problems before they contaminate real data.

Question 15Usability testing methods and approaches

A usability practitioner needs to compare two interface variants with a large user base and determine which yields better conversion. Which approach is most suitable?

  1. A heuristic evaluation by two experts
  2. A/B testing with sufficient traffic to detect a meaningful difference Correct answer.
  3. A contextual inquiry in a single office
  4. A think-aloud study with five participants

Explanation

A/B testing randomly assigns users to variants and compares measured outcomes such as conversion with statistical testing. It is designed for quantitative comparison at scale, unlike small qualitative studies or expert reviews.

Question 16Usability testing methods and approaches

Which factor most strongly influences the number of participants needed in a formative usability test?

  1. The programming language used to build the system
  2. The number of developers on the project
  3. The physical size of the usability laboratory
  4. The diversity of the user population and the number of distinct user groups Correct answer.

Explanation

Participant numbers in formative testing depend on how many distinct user groups and behaviours must be covered, since different groups reveal different problems. Homogeneous user populations need fewer participants than diverse ones.

Question 17Usability testing methods and approaches

What does a severity rating in a usability finding typically combine?

  1. The cost of the fix and the marketing deadline
  2. The frequency of occurrence, the impact on users and the persistence of the problem Correct answer.
  3. The number of lines of code affected and the developer's estimate
  4. The participant's satisfaction score and the facilitator's opinion

Explanation

Severity ratings commonly weigh how often a problem occurs, how serious its impact is for users, and whether users can overcome it once encountered. These dimensions together indicate how urgently a finding should be addressed.

Question 18Usability testing methods and approaches

In a usability test, what is the purpose of a task scenario?

  1. To provide a realistic context and goal that motivates the participant's actions Correct answer.
  2. To document the technical architecture of the system under test
  3. To instruct the participant step by step on what to click
  4. To list every button and menu item available in the interface

Explanation

A task scenario gives the participant a realistic situation and goal, so observed behaviour reflects genuine use. It must avoid prescribing the exact steps, which would turn the test into a scripted walkthrough.

Question 19Usability testing methods and approaches

A participant in a moderated usability test becomes visibly frustrated and says the interface is unusable. What should the facilitator do?

  1. Acknowledge the frustration neutrally and ask what the participant expected to happen Correct answer.
  2. Immediately terminate the session and delete the recording
  3. Skip the remaining tasks to avoid further negative feedback
  4. Argue that the interface is actually easy to use

Explanation

Neutral acknowledgement followed by an open probe captures the cause of the frustration without influencing the participant. This preserves rapport and yields diagnostic information about expectations and interface design.

Question 20Usability testing methods and approaches

Which method involves users, developers and usability experts walking through scenarios together and discussing problems as a group?

  1. Pluralistic walkthrough Correct answer.
  2. Unmoderated remote testing
  3. Diary study
  4. GOMS analysis

Explanation

A pluralistic walkthrough brings users, developers and usability experts together to step through scenarios and discuss usability issues collaboratively. The mix of perspectives is its defining characteristic.

Question 21Usability testing methods and approaches

Why is it recommended that the facilitator of a usability test not also act as the note-taker?

  1. Splitting attention between moderating and recording reduces the quality of both Correct answer.
  2. Note-taking requires a separate licence that facilitators lack
  3. Participants are legally entitled to two staff members present
  4. Note-taking is only permitted in unmoderated studies

Explanation

Moderating demands full attention to the participant's behaviour and utterances, while detailed recording also requires concentration. Separating the roles improves the accuracy of observations and the quality of facilitation.

Question 22Usability testing methods and approaches

What is the primary difference between summative usability benchmarking and formative problem discovery?

  1. Benchmarking is performed only before design begins
  2. Problem discovery always requires more participants than benchmarking
  3. Benchmarking establishes measurable targets and verifies achievement, while problem discovery identifies issues to fix Correct answer.
  4. Benchmarking uses only expert reviewers, while problem discovery uses only end users

Explanation

Summative benchmarking measures usability against predefined quantitative targets to verify that goals are met. Formative problem discovery seeks to find and characterise usability defects so they can be corrected during design.

Question 23Usability testing methods and approaches

A usability test reveals that participants consistently miss a confirmation message after saving a record. Which is the most appropriate next step?

  1. Remove the confirmation message because users ignore it
  2. Increase the number of participants until the problem disappears
  3. Reclassify the task as out of scope for the evaluation
  4. Record the finding with evidence and recommend a design change to make the feedback more noticeable Correct answer.

Explanation

Consistent missed feedback is a usability defect that should be documented with supporting evidence and addressed through design changes such as clearer placement, timing or prominence. Adding participants or reclassifying the task does not resolve the underlying problem.

Question 24Usability testing methods and approaches

Which of the following best describes the concept of ecological validity in usability testing?

  1. The statistical power of the sample size chosen for the study
  2. The degree to which the test environment and tasks reflect real-world conditions of use Correct answer.
  3. The reliability of the measurement instruments used in the laboratory
  4. The extent to which the system meets environmental sustainability targets

Explanation

Ecological validity concerns how faithfully the testing situation mirrors the real context in which the product will be used, including environment, tasks and user characteristics. Higher ecological validity increases confidence that findings generalise to actual use.

Question 25Usability testing methods and approaches

In a usability evaluation, what is the main risk of using the development team's own members as test participants?

  1. They cannot be observed through one-way mirrors
  2. Their prior knowledge and familiarity can mask problems that real users would encounter Correct answer.
  3. They may complete tasks too slowly to fit the session schedule
  4. They always refuse to sign consent forms

Explanation

Team members already understand the interface and its intended workflow, so they tend to overlook ambiguities and learning difficulties that genuine users face. This familiarity bias reduces the validity of the findings.

Question 26Usability testing methods and approaches

A usability practitioner is planning a heuristic evaluation of a new dashboard. Which description best characterizes this method?

  1. Experts inspect the interface against a set of recognized usability principles and report violations. Correct answer.
  2. Analysts measure task completion times and error counts under controlled conditions.
  3. Users self-report their satisfaction through a standardized questionnaire after a short trial.
  4. Representative users complete realistic tasks while observers record their behaviour and comments.

Explanation

Heuristic evaluation is an expert-based inspection method in which evaluators judge the interface against established usability principles, such as Nielsen's heuristics, and list the violations found. It does not involve representative end users performing tasks, which is what distinguishes it from user testing.

Question 27Usability testing methods and approaches

A team must choose a usability approach for a product whose users are spread across many countries and time zones, and the budget allows no travel. Which approach fits these constraints best?

  1. A field study with observers shadowing users for a week.
  2. On-site contextual inquiry at each user's workplace.
  3. Remote moderated usability sessions using screen sharing. Correct answer.
  4. Moderated usability testing in a central laboratory.

Explanation

Remote moderated testing lets a facilitator run sessions over the internet with screen sharing and conferencing tools, reaching geographically dispersed participants without travel costs. It retains the benefits of moderation and probing while removing the logistical constraint of a laboratory.

Question 28Usability testing methods and approaches

Which statement correctly describes the role of think-aloud protocol in a usability test?

  1. It requires the facilitator to explain each interface feature before the participant starts.
  2. It replaces the need for any observation because verbal reports capture all relevant behaviour.
  3. It measures physiological arousal such as heart rate during task performance.
  4. It asks participants to verbalize their thoughts, intentions and reactions while performing tasks. Correct answer.

Explanation

In the think-aloud protocol, participants speak their thoughts aloud as they work, giving evaluators insight into their mental model, expectations and points of confusion. The verbal data supplements observed behaviour rather than replacing it, and it is not a physiological measurement technique.

Question 29Usability testing methods and approaches

A practitioner wants users to evaluate the information architecture of a site by grouping and labelling content items themselves. Which method should be selected?

  1. Gaze plot analysis
  2. Card sorting Correct answer.
  3. Cognitive walkthrough
  4. A/B testing

Explanation

Card sorting asks participants to organize content items into groups and often to name those groups, revealing users' mental models of the information architecture. It is used to inform navigation and labelling decisions rather than to compare live variants or inspect task support.

Question 30Usability testing methods and approaches

During a usability test, a participant repeatedly hesitates at a form field but eventually completes the task. How should the practitioner treat this observation?

  1. Replace the participant because hesitation indicates unsuitability for testing.
  2. Discard it because the task was completed without an error.
  3. Record it as a usability problem indicator, noting the hesitation and its likely cause. Correct answer.
  4. Reclassify it as a task success and exclude it from the findings.

Explanation

Hesitation and confusion are valuable indicators of usability problems even when the task is ultimately completed, because they signal friction that may become failure under other conditions. The practitioner should document the behaviour and its probable cause so the team can investigate the design.

Question 31Usability testing methods and approaches

A practitioner must evaluate a design before any interactive prototype exists, using only paper sketches. Which approach is most appropriate?

  1. Summative benchmarking against competitor products.
  2. A paper prototype usability test with a human acting as the computer. Correct answer.
  3. Automated log analysis of production usage data.
  4. A large-scale online survey of existing customers.

Explanation

Paper prototype testing allows early feedback on a design concept by having a person simulate system responses while a participant attempts tasks with the sketches. It requires no working software and surfaces conceptual problems before development investment.

Question 32Usability testing methods and approaches

A usability practitioner is selecting participants for a study of an accounting package used by two very different roles: bookkeepers and auditors. What sampling approach is most defensible?

  1. Recruit random members of the public without regard to accounting experience.
  2. Recruit only managers who purchase the package on behalf of their organizations.
  3. Recruit only bookkeepers, since they use the package most frequently.
  4. Recruit a mix that represents both roles in proportions reflecting their real usage. Correct answer.

Explanation

Participants should represent the actual user population, so when distinct roles use the product in different ways, the sample should include both groups in proportions that reflect real usage. This preserves the relevance of findings to the people the design must serve.

Question 33Usability testing methods and approaches

A practitioner analyzes the results of a usability test and finds that three of six participants failed the same task for different reasons. Which interpretation is most sound?

  1. The result is invalid because participants did not fail for identical reasons.
  2. The task should be removed because it is too difficult for all users.
  3. The finding should be attributed to participant error and not reported.
  4. The shared failure point indicates a design problem, but the differing causes must be analyzed separately. Correct answer.

Explanation

When several participants fail at the same point, that convergence is strong evidence of a design problem in that area. However, because the underlying causes differ, each cause must be examined so that the remedy addresses the actual design defects rather than a single symptom.

Question 34Usability testing methods and approaches

A team wants to compare the usability of two competing products using the same tasks and metrics, and to report results that others can reproduce. Which approach best meets this requirement?

  1. A summative usability test with predefined metrics, standardized tasks and documented procedures. Correct answer.
  2. An informal expert review of both products by the design lead.
  3. A series of internal demos in which team members try both products.
  4. A focus group in which users discuss their impressions of both products.

Explanation

Reproducible comparison requires a summative approach with predefined performance and satisfaction metrics, identical tasks across products and documented procedures so the study can be repeated. Standardization is what makes the results comparable and credible beyond the immediate team.

Question 35Set-up procedures from a usability perspective

In usability testing of a new software product, what is the primary purpose of a set-up procedure?

  1. To replace the test plan with an informal checklist
  2. To establish a controlled, repeatable environment before participants begin tasks Correct answer.
  3. To collect the final satisfaction ratings from each participant
  4. To train participants on the software's full feature set

Explanation

Set-up procedures exist so that each session starts from a known, reproducible state, which protects the validity of comparisons across participants. They cover environment, tools, data and participant preparation, not the collection of results or participant training in all features.

Question 36Set-up procedures from a usability perspective

A usability test facilitator prepares the room, checks recording equipment and confirms the participant's consent form before the session. Which set-up activity does the consent check primarily support?

  1. Ethical and legal readiness of the session Correct answer.
  2. Performance measurement accuracy
  3. Defect triage
  4. Task realism

Explanation

Confirming informed consent before testing addresses ethical and legal obligations toward the participant. Performance accuracy, task realism and defect triage are concerns of test design and analysis rather than of consent handling.

Question 37Set-up procedures from a usability perspective

Why should a usability test set-up include a reset of the test environment to a defined baseline state between participants?

  1. So the recording software needs less storage space
  2. So the facilitator can skip documenting the environment configuration
  3. So participants can see the previous participant's data for context
  4. So each participant faces equivalent conditions and residual data does not distort results Correct answer.

Explanation

Resetting to a baseline ensures comparability between sessions and prevents leftover accounts, data or settings from influencing behaviour. Documenting configuration remains necessary, and exposing previous data would breach confidentiality.

Question 38Set-up procedures from a usability perspective

During set-up, a facilitator notices the screen recording tool captures the participant's face but not the on-screen cursor. What is the most appropriate action?

  1. Proceed, because cursor visibility is irrelevant to usability observation
  2. Cancel the session and reschedule for another day
  3. Adjust the capture configuration and verify it with a short dry run before the participant arrives Correct answer.
  4. Ask the participant to describe cursor movements verbally instead

Explanation

Set-up includes verifying that instrumentation records the evidence the test needs; a dry run confirms the fix without consuming participant time. Cursor paths are important observational data, so proceeding would lose evidence.

Question 39Set-up procedures from a usability perspective

What does a pilot run during set-up primarily help the facilitator discover?

  1. The marketing message for the product
  2. The final usability score of the product
  3. Practical problems in the procedure, materials and environment before real participants are affected Correct answer.
  4. The participant's demographic profile

Explanation

A pilot with a stand-in participant exposes timing issues, unclear instructions and equipment faults while changes are still cheap. It does not produce valid usability scores or demographic data for the real sample.

Question 40Set-up procedures from a usability perspective

Which item belongs in a set-up checklist for a moderated usability session rather than in the analysis phase?

  1. Verifying that the task instructions are printed and the prototype build is the approved version Correct answer.
  2. Prioritising the usability defects found
  3. Computing task completion rates per participant group
  4. Writing the findings section of the final report

Explanation

Checklists used at set-up cover readiness of materials, environment and build version. Completion rates, report writing and defect prioritisation are analysis activities performed after data collection.

Question 41Set-up procedures from a usability perspective

A test team will run sessions in a rented office rather than their own lab. Which set-up consideration becomes most important?

  1. Assuming the venue matches the home lab without verification
  2. Confirming power, network, lighting and furniture arrangements in advance with the venue Correct answer.
  3. Reducing the number of tasks to compensate for travel time
  4. Replacing observation with a post-session questionnaire only

Explanation

An unfamiliar venue introduces environmental variability, so power, connectivity, lighting and seating must be confirmed beforehand. Assuming equivalence or dropping observation would undermine the test's evidence.

Question 42Set-up procedures from a usability perspective

Why is it good practice to record the exact software build and configuration used during a usability session's set-up?

  1. So the facilitator can avoid writing a test plan
  2. So observations can be traced to a specific version when defects are reported and fixed Correct answer.
  3. So the session can be repeated without any participant
  4. So participants can be paid according to build number

Explanation

Linking observations to a build identifier lets developers reproduce defects and lets the team know which version was evaluated. Payment, planning and participant-free repetition are unrelated to configuration recording.

Question 43Set-up procedures from a usability perspective

A facilitator plans a think-aloud session. Which set-up step best prepares the participant for this technique?

  1. Giving a short practice task and modelling continuous verbalisation before the real tasks Correct answer.
  2. Explaining the full test hypotheses so the participant knows what to prove
  3. Instructing the participant to stay silent to avoid disturbing recordings
  4. Showing the participant the correct path through each task

Explanation

Think-aloud requires a warm-up so participants become comfortable verbalising while working. Revealing hypotheses or correct paths biases behaviour, and silence contradicts the technique.

Question 44Set-up procedures from a usability perspective

Which set-up practice best protects participant privacy when sessions are recorded?

  1. Recording continuously from the moment the participant enters the building
  2. Using participants' full names as file names for clarity
  3. Storing recordings on a shared drive accessible to all staff
  4. Informing participants about recording scope and obtaining explicit permission before capture starts Correct answer.

Explanation

Privacy protection begins with transparent information and explicit consent about what will be recorded and how it will be used. Continuous undisclosed recording, open storage and name-based file naming all increase privacy risk.

Question 45Set-up procedures from a usability perspective

A usability lab uses a one-way mirror and remote observers. What should set-up include so observers do not disturb the session?

  1. Allowing observers to enter the room whenever they have a question
  2. Muting all audio so observers hear nothing
  3. Removing the participant's microphone to avoid feedback
  4. Checking audio links and agreeing observer communication rules before the participant arrives Correct answer.

Explanation

Observer presence must be invisible and non-disruptive, so audio links and communication protocols are verified during set-up. Entering the room or muting audio would break observation and data capture.

Question 46Set-up procedures from a usability perspective

When preparing test data for a usability session, why should the data look realistic rather than obviously artificial?

  1. Artificial data makes the recording files smaller
  2. Realistic data supports natural task behaviour and credible decision-making by the participant Correct answer.
  3. Realistic data removes the need for a consent form
  4. Artificial data guarantees faster task completion

Explanation

Participants behave more naturally when data resemble their real work context, which improves the ecological validity of observations. File size, consent and speed of completion are not consequences of data realism.

Question 47Set-up procedures from a usability perspective

A team runs the same usability test with five participants in one day. Which set-up element most directly supports consistency across those sessions?

  1. A written session protocol specifying environment, instructions and task order Correct answer.
  2. Changing the task order for every participant without recording it
  3. A different facilitator for each session to reduce bias
  4. Letting each participant choose their own device

Explanation

A written protocol standardises conditions and instructions so differences between sessions reflect the product rather than the procedure. Varying facilitators, unrecorded order changes and free device choice add uncontrolled variables.

Question 48Set-up procedures from a usability perspective

Which set-up task should be completed before the participant arrives to avoid influencing their first impressions?

  1. Explaining which tasks are expected to fail
  2. Showing the participant the facilitator's notes
  3. Discussing the known defects with the participant
  4. Loading the start screen and closing any development tools or debug panels Correct answer.

Explanation

The initial screen state shapes first impressions, so the environment should be prepared and debug artefacts hidden before entry. Discussing defects or expected failures would bias the participant.

Question 49Set-up procedures from a usability perspective

In a remote moderated usability session, which set-up step is most critical for capturing valid observational data?

  1. Skipping a connection check to save time
  2. Relying on the participant to install software during the session
  3. Disabling the participant's camera to save bandwidth
  4. Testing the participant's screen-sharing, audio and recording permissions in advance Correct answer.

Explanation

Remote sessions depend on working screen share, audio and recording permissions, which should be verified before the session starts. Installing software mid-session or skipping checks creates avoidable disruption and data loss.

Question 50Set-up procedures from a usability perspective

A facilitator prepares a set-up checklist but finds two steps conflict: one requires the participant to sign a consent form, another requires anonymised recording. How should this be resolved?

  1. Obtain consent that explicitly covers anonymised recording before any capture begins Correct answer.
  2. Ask a colleague to sign consent on the participant's behalf
  3. Record first and obtain consent at the end of the session
  4. Drop the consent step because recording is anonymised

Explanation

Anonymisation reduces but does not remove the need for informed consent, which must precede capture and explicitly describe the recording. Dropping or deferring consent, or signing on someone's behalf, is ethically invalid.