Usability Testing

Description

Usability Lab Control Room

Credit: NIST

Usability testing refers to evaluating a product by testing it with representative users performing representative tasks. The goal is to identify any usability problems by collecting quantitative (e.g., time on task, errors and successful completion rates) and qualitative (e.g., comments, likes or dislikes) data to  determine participants’ satisfaction with the product.

Our staff are experts in usability testing products including websites and biometric devices. Our usability lab has state-of-the art technology. We have tested new technologies to determine the usability of the devices with real users.    

We test products according to ISO9241-11,usability is “the extent to which a product can be used by specified users to achieve specified goals with effectiveness, efficiency and satisfaction in a specified context of use” [1]. Efficiency, effectiveness, and user satisfaction are defined as:

• Efficiency is a measure of the resources expended in relation to the accuracy and completeness with which users achieve goals. Efficiency is related to productivity and is generally measured as task time
• Effectiveness is a measure of accuracy and completeness with which users achieve specified goals. Common metrics include completion rate and number of errors.
• User satisfaction is the degree to which the product meets the users’ expectations – a subjective response in terms of ease of use, satisfaction, and usefulness.

Reports & Publications

Contactless Fingerprint Devices Usability Test
March 6, 2017
Author(s): Susanne M. Furman, Brian C. Stanton, Mary F. Theofanos, John M. Libert, John D. Grantham

Usability Testing of a Contactless Fingerprint Device: Part 1
December 7, 2016
Author(s): Brian C. Stanton, Mary F. Theofanos, Susanne M. Furman, John M. Libert, Shahram Orandi, John D. Grantham

Usability Testing of a Contactless Fingerprint Device: Part 2
December 7, 2016
Author(s): Brian C. Stanton, Mary F. Theofanos, Susanne M. Furman, Patrick J. Grother

Design and Testing of a Mobile Touchscreen Interface for Multi-Modal Biometric Capture
Series: NIST Interagency/Internal Report (NISTIR)
Report Number: 8003
Published: 8/1/2014
Authors: Kristen Greene, Ross J Micheals, Kayee Kwong, Gregory P Fiumara

Fingerprint Self-Captures: Usability of a fingerprint system with real-time feedback
Published: 9/26/2012
Authors: Yee-Yin Choong, Mary Frances Theofanos, Haiying Guan

Usability Testing of Face Image Capture for US Ports of Entry
Published: 9/10/2008
Authors: Mary Frances Theofanos, Brian C Stanton, Charles L Sheppard, Ross J Micheals

Usability and Biometrics: Ensuring Successful Biometric Systems
Published: 6/11/2008
Authors: Mary Frances Theofanos, Brian C Stanton, Cari Wolfson

Usability Testing of Height and Angles of Ten-Print Fingerprint Capture
Series: NIST Interagency/Internal Report (NISTIR) Report Number: 7504
Published: 5/11/2008
Authors: Mary Frances Theofanos, Brian C Stanton, Charles L Sheppard, Ross J Micheals, John W. Wydler II, Nien F Zhang, Lawrence Nadel, William Rubin

Usability Testing of Ten-Print Fingerprint Capture
Published: 10/8/2007
Authors: Brian C Stanton, Mary Frances Theofanos, Shahram Orandi, Ross J Micheals, Nien F Zhang

Common Industry Specification for Usability --Requirements
June 13, 2007
Author(s): Mary F. Theofanos

Usability Testing of Ten-Print Fingerprint Capture
Series: NIST Interagency/Internal Report (NISTIR) Report Number: 7403
Published: 3/13/2007
Authors: Mary Frances Theofanos, Brian C Stanton, Shahram Orandi, Ross J Micheals, Nien F Zhang

Development of an Evaluation Method for Acceptable Usability
February 27, 2007
Author(s): Brian C. Stanton, Brian Antonishek, Jean C. Scholtz

A practical guide to the CIF:usability measurements
December 29, 2006
Author(s): Mary F. Theofanos, Brian C. Stanton, Nigel Bevan

A Taxonomy of Definitions for Usability Studies in Biometrics
November 27, 2006
Author(s): Ross J. Micheals, Brian C. Stanton, Mary F. Theofanos, Shahram Orandi

Usability Standards: Are they effective in fostering good usability practice?
June 14, 2006
Author(s): Mary F. Theofanos, Whitney Quesenbery, Dean Barker, Lisa Battle, Mike Paciello, Mary Beth Rettger

Towards the Design of Effective Formative Test Reports
November 30, 2005
Author(s): Mary F. Theofanos, Whitney Quesenbery