The setting is designed to be as naturalistic as possible as a workplace. The fact that it is a usability lab is toned down as much as possible. It includes three work stations, one computer for the subject to be tested, one computer for storing and handling of the data received from the subject computer and finally an analysis computer, where The Observer Video-Pro is installed. One video camera is pointing towards the user and this video stream is sent directly to the storage computer. This video stream is mixed 'picture in picture' with the outgoing stream from the user's computer screen.

UseLab also includes a mobile setting (not included in the picture) which is used in the field as we evaluate use of all sorts of IT artifacts, such as mobile phones, video games with all sorts of add-ons for input. In the mobile setting two video cameras, or one video camera and another stream could be combined through a scan converter and a video mixer into a 'picture in picture' video stream which is recorded on digital video tapes. When the study is finished, the DV tapes can be easily transferred into video files in the stationary UseLab and analyzed with The Observer Video-Pro.

 

The combined video stream is analyzed, mainly qualitatively but also quantitatively. In the qualitative analysis, notes are connected to different parts in the video material in The Observer Video-Pro and different events and usability problems are marked. These are sorted and analyzed and stored on CD. The analysis is always done after all the test sessions are finished, since the workload for the test crew is high even as it is. The two features with the lab setting which we appreciate the most are that we can collect and store digital video streams with no analog bottlenecks, which ensure high-resolution data material (true for the stationary setting). The other advantage is the potential in the analysis of the data material. The material is stored easily and can be handled in a seamless way. The Observer software is very flexible, which makes it suitable for various types of studies. 

UseLab
Department of Informatics
Umeå University
90187 Umeå
Sweden
URL: www.informatik.umu.se/fo/index_e.html