UsabilityTesting - Revision history

Mgmax: mark as outdated

2025-05-31T11:59:59Z

mark as outdated

← Older revision		Revision as of 11:59, 31 May 2025
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	~~removed~~ - content was ~~totally~~ outdated		{{Outdated\|message=Developer documentation has been moved to [https://gitlab.com/inkscape/inkscape/-/blob/master/doc/building/readme.md GitLab]. The content of this specific page was removed because it was completely outdated and no longer usable.}}

	~~[[Category:Needs Work]]~~

Mgmax: Replaced content with "removed - content was totally outdated Category:Needs Work"

2025-05-26T14:37:37Z

Replaced content with "removed - content was totally outdated Category:Needs Work"

← Older revision		Revision as of 14:37, 26 May 2025
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	~~= Usability Testing =~~		removed - content was totally outdated
	~~There are various ways to test usability some of which overlap with straighforward bug finding, accessibility testing and internationalisation work.~~
	Usability inevitably involves certain tradeoffs but for Inkscape it is important to make basic tasks easy and difficult tasks possible. Inkscape is a drawing tool designed for the mass market. Artists should be considered the primary audience. Technical drawing is a secondary audience and there are many things we will want to make possible but ''Inkscape'' is not intended for Computer Aided Design (CAD) and although we should be able to make many of these things possible it would be counter productive to overwhelm our target audience and this complexity must be balanced.
	~~The first most important lesson is if Inkscape is difficult to understand it is not your fault and if there is any way we can improve things we are interested in exploring them.~~
	~~However we must also look at the big picture, we must avoid microoptimisations (scripting and automation tools will inevitably be needed at some point).~~

	~~On the testing mailing list [[AlanHorkan]] outlines some task based Usability tests which any user could try out for themselves.~~
	~~The tasks are generic and their general purpose is to see if the basic behaviour of the tools is straight forward enough for relatively simple tasks.~~

	~~[http://sourceforge.net/mailarchive/message.php?msg_id=12667354 E~~-~~mail Archive]~~

	Another form of usability testing is Competitive Analysis. There are valuable lessons we can learn from [[OtherProjects]] particularly commercial products such as ''Adobe Illustrator'' and ''Macromedia Freehand'' which currently dominate the graphic design market.


	~~There are various forms of usability testing, this is only one.~~

	~~What I have attempted to do here is outline a task you might ask an~~
	~~ordinary user to do. I hope to put this somewhere in the Wiki where it~~
	~~can be refined and others can try it out for themselves. Testers~~
	~~already familiar with Inkscape could also do the test but intimate~~
	~~knowledge of how Inkscape works will obviously skew the results so a high~~
	~~level of self awareness is needed. Talking aloud while doing the test and~~
	~~attempting to vocalise what you are thinking can be very helpful (but a~~
	~~little awkward and embarassing sometimes). The introduction is supposed~~
	~~to help put users in the right frame of mind. The task is intended to be~~
	~~as simple and unambiguous as possible and should be abstract enough to~~
	~~apply to any vector graphics program.~~


	~~== Inkscape Usability Testing ==~~

	~~The Inkscape developers understand Inkscape is not perfect.~~
	~~If a task seems difficult or awkward it is not your fault.~~
	~~If it is not immediately obvious what you are meant to do then perhaps we~~
	~~can improve it. Please make a note of anything you find difficult to~~
	~~understand. Find any problems or inefficiencies and try to describe them~~
	~~as best you can. Do not worry too much about suggesting ways to fix~~
	~~problems, it is up to the developer to step back and look at the bigger~~
	~~picture and see how things might best be improved.~~
	~~Even if you are able to figure it out ask yourself if could it be better?~~

	~~These are the kinds of questions you need to ask to help improve the~~
	~~usability of Inkscape.~~

	~~:Is here the place to ask? Or is there somewhere else?~~
	:I've been using Inkscape to make [http://images4.wikia.nocookie.net/borderlands/images/c/ce/LegendStyles.svg Maps of the Borderlands]. An issue that comes up while I'm tracing a path: Sometimes I accidentally finish a path. Sometimes that happens because of my MX Revolution mouse registering a double-click, sometimes because my coffee buzzed fingers spaz, and sometimes because I realize after the fact that I want to continue on that path. Not sure about it, but it might also be happening when some badly behaved tray application steals the focus.
	:This is different from splitting a segment into two segments with an in-between point. What I want to do is select an endpoint and continue adding points to that path. Also, along the same lines, some way to back up while placing a path. Maybe control-clicking last nodes backs up.[[User:AngleWyrm\|AngleWyrm]] 21:18, 4 December 2009 (UTC)


	~~=== Task 1 ===~~


	~~Draw a picture of a House.~~

	~~Use at least one Ellipse~~
	~~Include a linear gradient in your drawing.~~
	~~Inlcude the text "Home Sweet Home"~~

	~~Save your drawing with the name ''house-01.svg''~~

	~~[Notes: might break this task up into stages, suggesting different~~
	~~modifications at each stage to encourage testers to discover particular~~
	~~tools and save different versions of the files. Perhaps also include~~
	~~saving the final version of the file so that it can be put on a web page]~~

	~~=== Task 2 ===~~

	~~Draw a picture of a face.~~

	~~== Suggestions for improvement ==~~

	~~(none)~~

	~~== References ==~~

	~~[http://developer.gnome.org/projects/gup/hig/ Gnome Human Interface Guidelines]~~

	~~[http://developer.gnome.org/projects/gup/ui-review/checklist.html Gnome User Interface Review Checklist]~~

	[[Category:Needs Work]]		[[Category:Needs Work]]

Kris: cat

2012-03-01T17:21:01Z

cat

← Older revision		Revision as of 17:21, 1 March 2012
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	~~This is a stub. Please help.~~


	= Usability Testing =		= Usability Testing =


	There are various ways to test usability some of which overlap with straighforward bug finding, accessibility testing and internationalisation work.		There are various ways to test usability some of which overlap with straighforward bug finding, accessibility testing and internationalisation work.
	Usability inevitably involves certain tradeoffs but for Inkscape it is important to make basic tasks easy and difficult tasks possible. Inkscape is a drawing tool designed for the mass market. Artists should be considered the primary audience. Technical drawing is a secondary audience and there are many things we will want to make possible but ''Inkscape'' is not intended for Computer Aided Design (CAD) and although we should be able to make many of these things possible it would be counter productive to overwhelm our target audience and this complexity must be balanced.		Usability inevitably involves certain tradeoffs but for Inkscape it is important to make basic tasks easy and difficult tasks possible. Inkscape is a drawing tool designed for the mass market. Artists should be considered the primary audience. Technical drawing is a secondary audience and there are many things we will want to make possible but ''Inkscape'' is not intended for Computer Aided Design (CAD) and although we should be able to make many of these things possible it would be counter productive to overwhelm our target audience and this complexity must be balanced.
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	[http://developer.gnome.org/projects/gup/ui-review/checklist.html Gnome User Interface Review Checklist]		[http://developer.gnome.org/projects/gup/ui-review/checklist.html Gnome User Interface Review Checklist]

			[[Category:Needs Work]]

AngleWyrm: /* Inkscape Usability Testing */

2009-12-04T22:26:55Z

Inkscape Usability Testing

← Older revision		Revision as of 22:26, 4 December 2009
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	:Is here the place to ask? Or is there somewhere else?		:Is here the place to ask? Or is there somewhere else?
	:I've been using Inkscape to make [http://images4.wikia.nocookie.net/borderlands/images/c/ce/LegendStyles.svg Maps of the Borderlands]. An issue that comes up while I'm tracing a path: Sometimes I accidentally finish a path. Sometimes that happens because of my MX Revolution mouse registering a double-click, sometimes because my coffee buzzed fingers spaz, and sometimes because I realize after the fact that I want to continue on that path.		:I've been using Inkscape to make [http://images4.wikia.nocookie.net/borderlands/images/c/ce/LegendStyles.svg Maps of the Borderlands]. An issue that comes up while I'm tracing a path: Sometimes I accidentally finish a path. Sometimes that happens because of my MX Revolution mouse registering a double-click, sometimes because my coffee buzzed fingers spaz, and sometimes because I realize after the fact that I want to continue on that path. Not sure about it, but it might also be happening when some badly behaved tray application steals the focus.
	:This is different from splitting a segment into two segments with an in-between point. What I want to do is select an endpoint and continue adding points to that path. Also, along the same lines, some way to back up while placing a path. Maybe control-clicking last nodes backs up.[[User:AngleWyrm\|AngleWyrm]] 21:18, 4 December 2009 (UTC)		:This is different from splitting a segment into two segments with an in-between point. What I want to do is select an endpoint and continue adding points to that path. Also, along the same lines, some way to back up while placing a path. Maybe control-clicking last nodes backs up.[[User:AngleWyrm\|AngleWyrm]] 21:18, 4 December 2009 (UTC)

AngleWyrm: /* Inkscape Usability Testing */

2009-12-04T21:23:48Z

Inkscape Usability Testing

← Older revision		Revision as of 21:23, 4 December 2009
Line 50:		Line 50:
	:Is here the place to ask? Or is there somewhere else?		:Is here the place to ask? Or is there somewhere else?
	:I've been using Inkscape to make [http://images4.wikia.nocookie.net/borderlands/images/c/ce/LegendStyles.svg Maps of the Borderlands]. An issue that comes up while I'm tracing a path: Sometimes I accidentally finish a path. Sometimes that happens because of my MX Revolution mouse registering a double-click, sometimes because my coffee buzzed fingers spaz, and sometimes because I realize after the fact that I want to continue on that path.		:I've been using Inkscape to make [http://images4.wikia.nocookie.net/borderlands/images/c/ce/LegendStyles.svg Maps of the Borderlands]. An issue that comes up while I'm tracing a path: Sometimes I accidentally finish a path. Sometimes that happens because of my MX Revolution mouse registering a double-click, sometimes because my coffee buzzed fingers spaz, and sometimes because I realize after the fact that I want to continue on that path.
	:This is different from splitting a segment into two segments with an in-between point. What I want to do is select an endpoint and continue adding points to that path. [[User:AngleWyrm\|AngleWyrm]] 21:18, 4 December 2009 (UTC)		:This is different from splitting a segment into two segments with an in-between point. What I want to do is select an endpoint and continue adding points to that path. Also, along the same lines, some way to back up while placing a path. Maybe control-clicking last nodes backs up.[[User:AngleWyrm\|AngleWyrm]] 21:18, 4 December 2009 (UTC)

AngleWyrm: signed

2009-12-04T21:18:43Z

signed

← Older revision		Revision as of 21:18, 4 December 2009
Line 50:		Line 50:
	:Is here the place to ask? Or is there somewhere else?		:Is here the place to ask? Or is there somewhere else?
	:I've been using Inkscape to make [http://images4.wikia.nocookie.net/borderlands/images/c/ce/LegendStyles.svg Maps of the Borderlands]. An issue that comes up while I'm tracing a path: Sometimes I accidentally finish a path. Sometimes that happens because of my MX Revolution mouse registering a double-click, sometimes because my coffee buzzed fingers spaz, and sometimes because I realize after the fact that I want to continue on that path.		:I've been using Inkscape to make [http://images4.wikia.nocookie.net/borderlands/images/c/ce/LegendStyles.svg Maps of the Borderlands]. An issue that comes up while I'm tracing a path: Sometimes I accidentally finish a path. Sometimes that happens because of my MX Revolution mouse registering a double-click, sometimes because my coffee buzzed fingers spaz, and sometimes because I realize after the fact that I want to continue on that path.
	:This is different from splitting a segment into two segments with an in-between point. What I want to do is select an endpoint and continue adding points to that path.		:This is different from splitting a segment into two segments with an in-between point. What I want to do is select an endpoint and continue adding points to that path. [[User:AngleWyrm\|AngleWyrm]] 21:18, 4 December 2009 (UTC)

AngleWyrm: Suggestion: Continue a path edit

2009-12-04T21:17:36Z

Suggestion: Continue a path edit

← Older revision		Revision as of 21:17, 4 December 2009
Line 48:		Line 48:
	usability of Inkscape.		usability of Inkscape.

			:Is here the place to ask? Or is there somewhere else?
			:I've been using Inkscape to make [http://images4.wikia.nocookie.net/borderlands/images/c/ce/LegendStyles.svg Maps of the Borderlands]. An issue that comes up while I'm tracing a path: Sometimes I accidentally finish a path. Sometimes that happens because of my MX Revolution mouse registering a double-click, sometimes because my coffee buzzed fingers spaz, and sometimes because I realize after the fact that I want to continue on that path.
			:This is different from splitting a segment into two segments with an in-between point. What I want to do is select an endpoint and continue adding points to that path.

Romiras: Formatting

2006-10-29T10:45:06Z

Formatting

← Older revision		Revision as of 10:45, 29 October 2006
Line 2:		Line 2:


	Usability Testing		= Usability Testing =


	There are various ways to test usability some of which overlap with straighforward bug finding, accessibility testing and internationalisation work.		There are various ways to test usability some of which overlap with straighforward bug finding, accessibility testing and internationalisation work.
	Usability inevitably involves certain tradeoffs but for Inkscape it is important to make basic tasks easy and difficult tasks possible. Inkscape is a drawing tool designed for the mass market. Artists should be considered the primary audience. Technical drawing is a secondary audience and there are many things we will want to make possible but Inkscape is not intended for Computer Aided Design (CAD) and although we should be able to make many of these things possible it would be counter productive to overwhelm our target audience and this complexity must be balanced.		Usability inevitably involves certain tradeoffs but for Inkscape it is important to make basic tasks easy and difficult tasks possible. Inkscape is a drawing tool designed for the mass market. Artists should be considered the primary audience. Technical drawing is a secondary audience and there are many things we will want to make possible but ''Inkscape'' is not intended for Computer Aided Design (CAD) and although we should be able to make many of these things possible it would be counter productive to overwhelm our target audience and this complexity must be balanced.
	The first most important lesson is if Inkscape is difficult to understand it is not your fault and if there is any way we can improve things we are interested in exploring them.		The first most important lesson is if Inkscape is difficult to understand it is not your fault and if there is any way we can improve things we are interested in exploring them.
	However we must also look at the big picture, we must avoid microoptimisations (scripting and automation tools will inevitably be needed at some point).		However we must also look at the big picture, we must avoid microoptimisations (scripting and automation tools will inevitably be needed at some point).
Line 11:		Line 12:
	On the testing mailing list [[AlanHorkan]] outlines some task based Usability tests which any user could try out for themselves.		On the testing mailing list [[AlanHorkan]] outlines some task based Usability tests which any user could try out for themselves.
	The tasks are generic and their general purpose is to see if the basic behaviour of the tools is straight forward enough for relatively simple tasks.		The tasks are generic and their general purpose is to see if the basic behaviour of the tools is straight forward enough for relatively simple tasks.
	~~http://sourceforge.net/mailarchive/message.php?msg_id=12667354~~

	Another form of usability testing is Competitive Analysis. There are valuable lessons we can learn from [[OtherProjects]] particularly commercial products such as Adobe Illustrator and Macromedia Freehand which currently dominate the graphic design market.		[http://sourceforge.net/mailarchive/message.php?msg_id=12667354 E-mail Archive]

			Another form of usability testing is Competitive Analysis. There are valuable lessons we can learn from [[OtherProjects]] particularly commercial products such as ''Adobe Illustrator'' and ''Macromedia Freehand'' which currently dominate the graphic design market.


Line 31:		Line 33:


	Inkscape Usability Testing		== Inkscape Usability Testing ==

	The Inkscape developers understand Inkscape is not perfect.		The Inkscape developers understand Inkscape is not perfect.
Line 47:		Line 49:


	Task 1
			=== Task 1 ===


	Draw a picture of a House.		Draw a picture of a House.
Line 55:		Line 59:
	Inlcude the text "Home Sweet Home"		Inlcude the text "Home Sweet Home"

	Save your drawing with the name house-01.svg		Save your drawing with the name ''house-01.svg''

	[Notes: might break this task up into stages, suggesting different		[Notes: might break this task up into stages, suggesting different
Line 62:		Line 66:
	saving the final version of the file so that it can be put on a web page]		saving the final version of the file so that it can be put on a web page]

	Task 2		=== Task 2 ===

	Draw a picture of a face.		Draw a picture of a face.

			== Suggestions for improvement ==

			(none)

			== References ==

			[http://developer.gnome.org/projects/gup/hig/ Gnome Human Interface Guidelines]

			[http://developer.gnome.org/projects/gup/ui-review/checklist.html Gnome User Interface Review Checklist]

	~~Gnome Human Interface Guidelines~~
	~~http://developer.gnome.org/projects/gup/hig/~~

	~~Gnome User Interface Review Checklist~~
	http://developer.gnome.org/projects/gup/ui-review/checklist.html

Conversion script: link fix

2006-01-22T02:33:51Z

link fix

New page

This is a stub. Please help.

Usability Testing

There are various ways to test usability some of which overlap with straighforward bug finding, accessibility testing and internationalisation work.
Usability inevitably involves certain tradeoffs but for Inkscape it is important to make basic tasks easy and difficult tasks possible. Inkscape is a drawing tool designed for the mass market. Artists should be considered the primary audience. Technical drawing is a secondary audience and there are many things we will want to make possible but Inkscape is not intended for Computer Aided Design (CAD) and although we should be able to make many of these things possible it would be counter productive to overwhelm our target audience and this complexity must be balanced.
The first most important lesson is if Inkscape is difficult to understand it is *not your fault* and if there is any way we can improve things we are interested in exploring them.
However we must also look at the big picture, we must avoid microoptimisations (scripting and automation tools will inevitably be needed at some point).

On the testing mailing list [[AlanHorkan]] outlines some task based Usability tests which any user could try out for themselves.
The tasks are generic and their general purpose is to see if the basic behaviour of the tools is straight forward enough for relatively simple tasks.
http://sourceforge.net/mailarchive/message.php?msg_id=12667354

Another form of usability testing is Competitive Analysis. There are valuable lessons we can learn from [[OtherProjects]] particularly commercial products such as Adobe Illustrator and Macromedia Freehand which currently dominate the graphic design market.

There are various forms of usability testing, this is only one.

What I have attempted to do here is outline a task you might ask an
ordinary user to do. I hope to put this somewhere in the Wiki where it
can be refined and others can try it out for themselves. Testers
already familiar with Inkscape could also do the test but intimate
knowledge of how Inkscape works will obviously skew the results so a high
level of self awareness is needed. Talking aloud while doing the test and
attempting to vocalise what you are thinking can be very helpful (but a
little awkward and embarassing sometimes). The introduction is supposed
to help put users in the right frame of mind. The task is intended to be
as simple and unambiguous as possible and should be abstract enough to
apply to any vector graphics program.

Inkscape Usability Testing

The Inkscape developers understand Inkscape is not perfect.
If a task seems difficult or awkward it is not your fault.
If it is not immediately obvious what you are meant to do then perhaps we
can improve it. Please make a note of anything you find difficult to
understand. Find any problems or inefficiencies and try to describe them
as best you can. Do not worry too much about suggesting ways to fix
problems, it is up to the developer to step back and look at the bigger
picture and see how things might best be improved.
Even if you are able to figure it out ask yourself if could it be better?

These are the kinds of questions you need to ask to help improve the
usability of Inkscape.

Task 1

Draw a picture of a House.

Use at least one Ellipse
Include a linear gradient in your drawing.
Inlcude the text "Home Sweet Home"

Save your drawing with the name house-01.svg

[Notes: might break this task up into stages, suggesting different
modifications at each stage to encourage testers to discover particular
tools and save different versions of the files. Perhaps also include
saving the final version of the file so that it can be put on a web page]

Task 2

Draw a picture of a face.

Gnome Human Interface Guidelines
http://developer.gnome.org/projects/gup/hig/

Gnome User Interface Review Checklist
http://developer.gnome.org/projects/gup/ui-review/checklist.html