Writing for Digital Media II

Project 2
WRTG 3306 Syllabus Accessibility Testing Protocols

Isabella Evans

Introduction: Before administering and taking a usability test, both the test
administrator and the test user must understand what the purpose of the test is. After the
test, the test administrator should use the results to determine the pros and cons of the
current design and use this information to improve it.

Goals:

Determining if the user knows and understands what the document is

Ensuring the user can get to what he/she needs in a relatively fast manner
Determining if the user will use the document throughout the semester

Pre-test Questions
Before administering the test, the test administrator should introduce him/herself and make the
test user feel welcome. The test administer should ask questions to determine what kind of
audience he/she is working with.
1. The first few questions should be basic demographic questions (age, gender, ethnicity,
etc.).
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
2. Is English your first language?
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
3. Do you have any impairment that affects the way you read or see things?
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
4. How do you use a syllabus?
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________

Writing for Digital Media II

Project 2
WRTG 3306 Syllabus Accessibility Testing Protocols

Isabella Evans

5. How many times during a semester do you refer back to a syllabus?

________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
6. What do you expect from a syllabus?
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________

Task 1
Ask questions about the first page.
1. Do you understand what the purpose of the class is?
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
2. Do you understand what the required materials for the class are?
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
3. Do you get the general idea of how this class will be?
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
4. How helpful is the first page?

1
Not Helpful

2
Not Very
Helpful

3
Neutral

4
Somewhat
Helpful

5
Very Helpful

User Comments:
______________________________________________________________________________

Writing for Digital Media II

Project 2
WRTG 3306 Syllabus Accessibility Testing Protocols

Isabella Evans

______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________

Task 2
Ask the user questions about the visibility of the syllabus.
1. Do you think the main text is readable? Why or why not?
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
2. Do you think the titles are readable? Why or why not?
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________

Task 3
Ask the user questions that targets the users understanding of the document.
1. Find the course objectives. Do you think you understand the objectives of this course?
Why or why not?
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
2. Find the grading policy. Do you understand how grading works in this course? Why or
why not?
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________

Writing for Digital Media II

Project 2
WRTG 3306 Syllabus Accessibility Testing Protocols

Isabella Evans

3. Find the attendance section. Do you think you understand how attendance works for this
course? Why or why not?
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________

Task 4
Ask the user to locate UCAs Americans with Disabilities Act Statement. Then ask the user to
access the link online. Take note of the time it takes for the user to complete the task, and ask
him/her to speak aloud as he/she completes the task.
Notes:
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________

Task 5
Ask the user questions about the details of Project 1.
1. What is Project 1 about?
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
2. What is required for Project 1?
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________

Writing for Digital Media II

Project 2
WRTG 3306 Syllabus Accessibility Testing Protocols

Isabella Evans

3. Find the calendar for Project 1. When is the deadline for Project 1?
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________

How easy was it to find the answers you were looking for?
1
Very Hard

2
Hard

3
Neutral

4
Somewhat
Easy

5
Very Easy

User Comments:
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________

Task 6
Ask the user questions about the details of Project 2.
1. What is Project 2 about?
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
2. What is required for Project 2?
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
3. Find the calendar for Project 2. When is the deadline for Project 2?
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________

Writing for Digital Media II

Project 2
WRTG 3306 Syllabus Accessibility Testing Protocols

Isabella Evans

How easy was it to find the answers you were looking for?
1
Very Hard

2
Hard

3
Neutral

4
Somewhat
Easy

5
Very Easy

User Comments:
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________

Task 7
Ask the user questions about the details of Project 3.
1. What is Project 3 about?
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
2. What is required for Project 3?
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
3. Find the calendar for Project 3. When is the deadline for Project 3?
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________

How easy was it to find the answers you were looking for?
1
Very Hard

2
Hard

3
Neutral

4
Somewhat
Easy

5
Very Easy

Writing for Digital Media II

Project 2
WRTG 3306 Syllabus Accessibility Testing Protocols

Isabella Evans

User Comments:
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________

Task 8
Ask the user questions about the details of Project 4.
1. What is Project 4 about?
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
2. What is required for Project 4?
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
3. Find the calendar for Project 4. When is the deadline for Project 4?
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________

How easy was it to find the answers you were looking for?
1
Very Hard

2
Hard

3
Neutral

4
Somewhat
Easy

5
Very Easy

User Comments:
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________

Writing for Digital Media II

Project 2
WRTG 3306 Syllabus Accessibility Testing Protocols

Isabella Evans

______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________

Post Test Questions

After the test is completed, the test administrator should thank the test user for his/her time and
ask the following questions.
1. What are your general thoughts about the syllabus?
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
2. Did the design of the syllabus help you understand it?
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
3. Did you feel frustrated at any point? If so, why?
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
4. Would you ever return to this syllabus based on your experience today?
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
5. Do you have any suggestions that would make the syllabus easier to use?
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________

Writing for Digital Media II

Project 2
WRTG 3306 Syllabus Accessibility Testing Protocols

Isabella Evans

References
6 surprising bad practices that hurt dyslexic users (2011) Retrieved September 8, 2014, from: ux
movement: http://uxmovement.com/content/6-surprising-bad-practices-that-hurtdyslexic-users/
Image concepts (2014) Retrieved September 8, 2014, from: World Wide Web Consortium:
http://www.w3.org/WAI/tutorials/images/
Diversity of web users: Draft, how people with disabilities use the web (2012) Retrieved
September 8, 2014, from: World Wide Web Consortium:
http://www.w3.org/WAI/intro/people-use-web/diversity