Collaborative International Usability Testing: Moving from Document-based Reporting to Information Object Sharing

Usability testing is an activity that has traditionally been carried out in specialized labs in a specific geographical location. As test subjects tend to be drawn from the community in which the lab is located, problems can occur in identifying design issues related to people in other countries. This paper examines Internet-based approaches to the execution of remote usability tests and the collection of general guidelines on usability design for specific communities. The collection and communication of such knowledge through Web-based communities is argued to be a better approach than the current report format of usability test communication