Lab Testing Facility

The CUDA Lab Testing Facility is located on the campus of California State University, Long Beach.

The usability lab is set up to replicate conditions   similar to a home office:

  • A computer is set up at a desk in a “living room” type area with a couch.
  • A usability test faciliator and observers sit behind a one-way mirror to relay tasks to participants and ask questions (over intercom), and monitor participant progress on tasks.
  • Video equipment and a computer screen converter are used to record participant reactions and comments as well as participant activities on the computer as they carry out tasks (for later analysis).
  • A home office setting (with observers behind a one-way mirror) is used so that participants in the usability evaluations will have an experience closer to what they would have at home alone working on the system being tested.

Virtual User Testing

CUDA uses virtual meeting software (e.g. Zoom, Google Meet, MS Teams, etc.) to conduct "usability lab testing"  and virtual "walk-through" procedures.  CUDA staff recruit, prepares, conducts, and evaluates usability testing with users using the software while SkillCommons performs the usability evaluation using the Think-aloud protocol and recording the sessions.


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