Functional Requirements
Below the requirements for our system categorized by priority and defining if they are in scope or not. Due to the limited amount of time for implementing the first version of the service within the service camp, we left all non-core functions out of scope.
Process of using the service
The process of using the service is simple. Basically, the user can either start either with: 1. Signing-up for the service or 2. Using the search function in the first page without signing up.
If choosing the option 1. the process begins with Signing-up with Facebook-account or creating a new account for Localeyez. After this, the user inserts his/her profile information including e.g. interests and languages. Then, the user can search for the locals and look at their profiles. Lastly, he/she can invite locals and wait for their replies.
If choosing option 2. user begins with the search to find locals and to see their profiles. If the user wants to send invitations, he/she needs to Sign-up for the service the same way as in option 1. After this, he/she inserts profile information and sends invitations.
If choosing the option 1. the process begins with Signing-up with Facebook-account or creating a new account for Localeyez. After this, the user inserts his/her profile information including e.g. interests and languages. Then, the user can search for the locals and look at their profiles. Lastly, he/she can invite locals and wait for their replies.
If choosing option 2. user begins with the search to find locals and to see their profiles. If the user wants to send invitations, he/she needs to Sign-up for the service the same way as in option 1. After this, he/she inserts profile information and sends invitations.
Usability Test Plan
1 Tasks and Scenarios
First we will ask the user to suggest one task that he would like to do or expects to be able to do with the service. The user is then asked to do the task related to the three described scenarios.
1.1 Own Task
Ask the user to suggest a task. If LocalEyez offers the functionality for the service, let the user conduct the task in LocalEyez. User can be asked for more than one task and perform them. They do not need to do the scenarios if they have covered the tasks already in the tasks suggested by them. This will give us an idea if the service fulfills the expectations of the users and might also give new ideas for features which could be added in the future.
1.2 Scenario A
Imagine you are planning a trip to Roccascalegna in Italy with your friends. Find a local that you would like to meet him/her on your trip. Let the local know that you and your friends would like to meet him/her and what you would like to do together.
These would be the detailed steps the user would need to do:
1. Sign in to the service
1.1. Through Facbook Connect or,
1.2. LocalEyez Account (Create own account for LocalEyez if not existing yet)
2. Search for locals in a travel destination that you would like to go to
2.1. Select destination (Country and City)
2.2. Select interest separately or take own interest from own profile
2.3. Select gender and age range
2.4. Start search
3. Check through profiles of search results
4. “Invite” and provide traveling dates and details what you are interested in
5. Send Invitation
1.3 Scenario B
You want to check if someone is coming to your home city in the near future and has contacted you doing because he/she would like to do some activities with you. Respond to the travelers, which have contacted you.
These would be the detailed steps the user would need to do:
1. Sign in to the service
1.1. Through Facbook Connect or,
1.2. LocalEyez Account (Create own account for LocalEyez if not existing yet)
2. Click on “Reply” in the Invitations list
3. Choose “Accept”, “Decline” or “Send Message”
1.4 Scenario C
You had been on a trip to Finland and did a fantastic canoe trip with Tuomas and Johanna. After you are back from the trip you would to share the experience with other users in LocalEyez to let them know that they had been great local mates.
These would be the detailed steps the user would need to do:
1. Sign in to the service
1.1. Through Facbook Connect or,
1.2. LocalEyez Account (Create own account for LocalEyez if not existing yet)
2. Choose the right entry from History on my profile page
3. Comment and/or “Like” it
2 Evaluation Techniques
We would like to use three different techniques to evaluate the usability of the service based on the tasks the users was asked to complete.
2.1 Think-Aloud Protocol
The users tell his thought out loud while performing the tasks. This gives us a very good insight, if the UI is logically and if the users is missing some functionality or does not understand all the functionalities offered.
2.2 Observation
In the observation, we will check if the user is able to complete the tasks and how easy and logically it seems to be for him. For that the following questions will be used as a guideline?
2.3 Interview
After the test, we will interview the user to get some additional feedback. It will not only point out, parts of the service where the usability could be improved, but also get suggestions for additional features.
First we will ask the user to suggest one task that he would like to do or expects to be able to do with the service. The user is then asked to do the task related to the three described scenarios.
1.1 Own Task
Ask the user to suggest a task. If LocalEyez offers the functionality for the service, let the user conduct the task in LocalEyez. User can be asked for more than one task and perform them. They do not need to do the scenarios if they have covered the tasks already in the tasks suggested by them. This will give us an idea if the service fulfills the expectations of the users and might also give new ideas for features which could be added in the future.
1.2 Scenario A
Imagine you are planning a trip to Roccascalegna in Italy with your friends. Find a local that you would like to meet him/her on your trip. Let the local know that you and your friends would like to meet him/her and what you would like to do together.
These would be the detailed steps the user would need to do:
1. Sign in to the service
1.1. Through Facbook Connect or,
1.2. LocalEyez Account (Create own account for LocalEyez if not existing yet)
2. Search for locals in a travel destination that you would like to go to
2.1. Select destination (Country and City)
2.2. Select interest separately or take own interest from own profile
2.3. Select gender and age range
2.4. Start search
3. Check through profiles of search results
4. “Invite” and provide traveling dates and details what you are interested in
5. Send Invitation
1.3 Scenario B
You want to check if someone is coming to your home city in the near future and has contacted you doing because he/she would like to do some activities with you. Respond to the travelers, which have contacted you.
These would be the detailed steps the user would need to do:
1. Sign in to the service
1.1. Through Facbook Connect or,
1.2. LocalEyez Account (Create own account for LocalEyez if not existing yet)
2. Click on “Reply” in the Invitations list
3. Choose “Accept”, “Decline” or “Send Message”
1.4 Scenario C
You had been on a trip to Finland and did a fantastic canoe trip with Tuomas and Johanna. After you are back from the trip you would to share the experience with other users in LocalEyez to let them know that they had been great local mates.
These would be the detailed steps the user would need to do:
1. Sign in to the service
1.1. Through Facbook Connect or,
1.2. LocalEyez Account (Create own account for LocalEyez if not existing yet)
2. Choose the right entry from History on my profile page
3. Comment and/or “Like” it
2 Evaluation Techniques
We would like to use three different techniques to evaluate the usability of the service based on the tasks the users was asked to complete.
2.1 Think-Aloud Protocol
The users tell his thought out loud while performing the tasks. This gives us a very good insight, if the UI is logically and if the users is missing some functionality or does not understand all the functionalities offered.
2.2 Observation
In the observation, we will check if the user is able to complete the tasks and how easy and logically it seems to be for him. For that the following questions will be used as a guideline?
- For each step did the user find directly the right place to get to the next step?
- Was the user looking a long time before finding the right place to click?
2.3 Interview
After the test, we will interview the user to get some additional feedback. It will not only point out, parts of the service where the usability could be improved, but also get suggestions for additional features.
- What was the overall impression of the site?
- What did you like about the site?
- What did you not like about the page?
- Was there something that was confusing or unclear?
- Can you think of any functionality that you would like to have but was missing on the current page?
