Automotive Usability Testing Research

Usability testing for in-vehicle displays requires a number of different considerations in comparison to testing your typical app and website. Some of the big considerations are the environment, and the safety of the user during the testing process.

Prior to jumping into planning, it’d be great to get familiar with general usability testing and some tips for planning for usability testing in the automotive industry.

What is usability testing?

• The process of identifying problems in the design of a product or service (in this case the driver display)

• A way to evaluate a product and obtain direct input on how the users use the product

Why conduct usability tests?

• Learning about the target users behaviours and preferences

• Making any changes or adjustments based on the user's needs and preferences (adapting and empathizing with the user)

What are some common structures for usability testing?

• Moderated and unmoderated usability testing

• Explorative testing

• Assessment research

• Comparative research

Tips for conducting usability tests?

• Define goals for the tests

• Recruit the right participants

• Identify success criteria and quality metrics

• Pilot the test

What are the key differences in usability testing for a website/app vs. an in-vehicle display?

• The target user is different - someone using an app/website is different than the participants for an in-vehicle display

• Differences in project design - app/website is designed differently and has different features than an in-vehicle display

Resources / References

Usability (User) Testing 101 https://bootcamp.uxdesign.cc/10-tips-for-conducting-a-usability-test-3a998f1974af

https://xd.adobe.com/ideas/process/user-testing/top-7-usability-testing-methods/