Usability Test Plan for Mask-Making
Usability Test Script
Hello, (Name of participants) I am (Name of student) and will be the instructor for today’s session about making surgical masks. In the previous session, we learned about various steps to be followed in the process of mask-making.
However, we outlined the steps but did not work them out practically, and today we want see how practical and efficient the steps are. You do not have to worry about the steps or try to make them work, no. It is not your fault if any of the steps fail.
The purpose of this session is not to examine you on the understanding of the process, but we want to test the workability of the steps and identify any areas that need to be changed or modified.
As we progress with the session, I encourage you to seek clarification on any aspect of the instruction that appears unclear to you. Besides, feel free to express your opinion on what you think the instructions mean. We will also appreciate your advice on what should be done on the instruction manual to make it clear and easy to understand.
Among the tools we will be using is the sewing machine, scissors, cotton clothing, non-woven filter materials, a ruler, pins, and masking tapes. Check to confirm whether you have all the materials before we begin the testing process. Besides, handle the materials with care since some like the pins can cause injury if not well-handled.
I am accompanied by my two colleagues, Peter and John. Their task here is not to supervise you or examine what you are doing. They are only here to observe and record the usability and effectiveness of the instruction manual. What they record will help us to review the manual and make necessary adjustments. Therefore, do not be afraid of them. You can as well ask them any questions as we progress. I hope we are all set to begin.
Task prompts
Prompt 1. Assuming you are a new tailor who wants to make surgical face masks to help mitigate the current covid-19 pandemic, let’s see what you have to do. You need to find out and assemble the necessary material before starting the process
Prompt 2. After you have the material, you need to cut rectangular cloth pieces with the right measurements for the masks.
Prompt 3. Try to stitch the two pieces of cloth as per the instructions in the manual
Prompt 4. After you sew the two pieces together, you realize they are far from looking like masks. Try to attach ear loops to make it possible to wear.
Prompt 5. At this point, you have something wearable but not a complete mask. Add the pleats on the mask by following the directions on the instruction manual.
Prompt 6. The mask is now complete. However, you realize we haven’t used the non-woven filter material. Try to insert it appropriately.
Prompt 7. Now that you have a mask, try to wear it and see if it fits.
Session Plan
The session is scheduled to run for 30 minutes. I will guide the participants through the instruction manual as John and Peter observe what is happening. They will record the outcomes and any challenges or concerns the participant raised.
Usability Test Report Memo
To: Dr. Strandjord
From: Student’s Name
RE: Usability Test Report
This usability test report outlines the findings of the test conducted on the efficiency of the instruction manual for making masks. John, Peter, and I guided the participants through the session. I took them through the manual as john and peter noted any concerns that arose.
The methodology used to conduct the test was to request participants to perform various tasks following the manual’s instructions. We tested their ability to use the manual to identify appropriate materials for the mask-making process. We also requested them to cut the clothing following proper measurements from the manual. Besides, they were required to stitch the clothes, add ear loops on to them, make pleats, and finally insert the filter material. They also tried to wear the mask to if it could fit.
The results of the test revealed that many of the instructions in the manual were clear to the participants and yielded the expected results. The participants did not raise queries with the instructions. However, john and peter noticed that not every mask fit every participant. Some were too large or too small. The instruction manual only had measurements for adult masks.
The recommendation about the instruction manual is that it should be amended to include measurements for children and young people so that people of all ages are catered for. For children’s masks, the cloth material should be 14 inches long and 6.5’ wide. The rest of the instructions are precise and efficient.