Do-It-Yourself, Low-Cost Pop-Up Usability Labs for Learning Experience Designers

Abstract

This article introduces the concept of pop-up usability labs as a practical and cost-effective solution for conducting usability testing in real-world learning experience design (LXD) contexts. Various configurations of pop-up usability labs are presented, including budget-friendly, portable, semi-permanent, and mobile setups, along with recommendations for hardware and software requirements. The importance of selecting appropriate software packages for usability data analysis is emphasized, with suggestions for low-cost, no-cost, and open-source options for quantitative and qualitative data analyses. Pop-up usability labs offer numerous advantages, such as accommodating limited funding and reaching participants in rural areas. However, they also present challenges that require LXD professionals to become familiar with the equipment and data analysis methods. Despite these limitations, pop-up usability labs provide a viable, resource-efficient approach for LXD professionals to conduct usability testing in real-world settings, identify and address design flaws related to usability, and embrace more human-centered design practices in the development of educational and learning technology products, systems, or services.