Chapter 27 - UX Evaluation: Reporting Results

Abstract

This chapter is about reporting UX evaluation results and applies more or less regardless of the evaluation method or data collection technique. The quality of communication is extremely important when reporting UX evaluation results. Evaluation reports are often required to communicate across discontinuities of time, location, and people that can cause information loss due to human memory limitations. This is further aggravated if the people doing the redesign are not the ones who conducted the evaluation. UX evaluation reports with inadequate contextual information or incomplete UX problem descriptions will be too vague for designers who were not present for the UX evaluation. Report content and style depend on the audience for your report. You might be reporting to inform your project team, to explain UX evaluation to stakeholders, to inform and/or influence management, or convey results to customer or client. Report content usually includes problem descriptions, problem causes, estimates of severity or impact, and suggested solutions. Some cost-importance information, especially the prioritization process, can be of great interest to those who have to fix the problems and those who have to pay for it. Report mechanics include considerations of consistency, vocabulary (e.g., being consistent and specific and avoiding jargon), tone (e.g., being positive and encouraging, being respectful and avoiding blame), summarizing large amounts of data, and being present personally when reporting.