The focus this week was user testing on the paper prototypes or the digitized paper prototypes on applications like Marvel Apps.

I chose to stick to testing using the manual paper prototypes for various reasons. With paper, it is easy to make changes quickly while testing. For example, if a user comes to a dead-end in the app because there is no back button or or submit option it would be easy to add that to the paper prototype. The downside that I experienced during sessions was that it took time to switch screens that were drawn on paper. During the first test I found myself scrambling through paper to find the next page for the option that the user picked. This issue would be avoided with using the Marvel App where the application would automatically proceed to the next screen.

The feedback that I received was helpful. When designing the prototype, I thought I was very thorough in covering all of the basics but during the first test it was brought to my attention that there is a favorite recipe page but no option to add a recipe to the favorite recipe page. I fully expected to receive feedback about the function of the app, but I was especially grateful to see feedback on creativity. For example, one user suggested that I add pictures of the dishes next to the recipe name in the results section so it look more enticing. I thought it was a great idea and a nice way to add color and vibrancy to a search results page that usually looks flat.

One component of my app that I am still not sure I want to include is the ability to keep track of blood pressure, weight and the educational component of each. I have had numerous conversations with people about keeping it. There is no doubt that there are benefits for people having the ability to keep track. Just this past weekend at a heart health event, I saw a women who was keeping track of her blood pressure but was doing so in the memo app on her phone. She was an older individual and it took her some time to type in the date and her blood pressure. However, the main purpose of the app is food and health and my concern is that these functions will take away from the mission of the app. I keep these components because blood pressure and weight are deeply intertwined with with food choices. But still, I am still not 100% sure that I should keep this function.

The feedback that was taken during testing will be incorporated into the next level of prototype which I will be testing again. The goal is to keep using efficient prototypes that are easy to edit and test them until there is a consensus that resources such as money, complex software, and time are ready to be used to move the project to the next level.

The other feedback I received can be viewed in the document that I have provided below.