Critical Thinking Analysis and Research

Usability Test for Piecework Puzzles

Critical Thinking, Analysis and Research

A Usability Test I completed in a User Experience course demonstrates my growing user advocacy alongside an important section of the MSTC program outcome, “Critical Thinking, Analysis, and Research.”

The Usability Test helped me to understand and achieve the “Critical Thinking, Analysis, and Research” outcome labeled, “integrate previously held beliefs, assumptions, and knowledge with new information and the ideas of others.”

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For this assignment, I had to conduct a usability test on a website, identify usability issues and offer solutions. Before the test began, I had preconceived ideas of issues I would find within the selected website and how they would influence the user based on my experiences. However, I needed to correct many of my ideas once I conducted the test. Issues where I thought users had issues were easy for participants to navigate, while areas I had yet to consider or account for caused hurdles and frustrations. After the project, I had to let go of the preconceived notions I had developed initially and move forward with recommendations that fit the user’s needs.

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Accomplishing this allowed me to be a better user advocate and to put the needs of the users and the business ahead of my ideas and wants. This lesson will inform and guide how I develop future projects and remind me to always integrate new learnings with previously held beliefs as well as with the ideas of others.