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10.5 The process of user-based testing 277

can be recorded. In addition, the moderators’ room often has a one-way mirror so
that the moderators can directly observe what the user is doing, but the user cannot
see into the moderators’ room (see Figure 10.2). If a one-way mirror is not possible
(either due to structural concerns or the moderators’ room being located elsewhere in
the building), a large image projected on to a wall is sufficient for the same purpose.

FIGURE 10.2
A formal usability laboratory with a one-way mirror.
Source: Photo by Elizabeth Buie for UserWorks, Inc., a usability consulting firm located in Silver Spring, MD,
www.userworks.com.

While a formal usability laboratory is typically used for desktop or laptop com-
puter applications, with minor modifications to the camera angles and mounting,
a formal laboratory can also be utilized for usability testing of hand-held and mo-
bile devices. For instance, one solution utilized for videotaping interactions on a
mobile device is a document camera, which is often available in a classroom or
presentation room. Readers are suggested to reference (Schusteritsch et al., 2007)
on different types of camera mountings and logistics for usability testing of hand-
held devices.
Figures 10.3 and 10.4 show two examples of formal, fixed usability labs.
One lab layout is located at a university, where there is only one participant
room. The other lab layout is from the US Census Bureau, where three partici-
pant rooms are connected to one evaluation room. It is important to note that
while it is very good to have a formal usability laboratory, and the willingness
to spend money and commit space may speak about the importance of usability
to an organization, having a fixed usability laboratory is NOT necessary for us-
ability testing.
Another possible location for usability testing is in the user’s workplace or
home. This may help in recruiting users, because it’s less of a hassle for the users