After creating the IA sitemap to guide how we wanted users to move through and interact with the application, we created a paper prototype to test with real people. A paper prototype is a low time-investment, lower fidelity prototype that is useful for testing important capabilities like navigation and key usage scenarios. We set up three tasks for users to complete:
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Task 1: Alert makerspace staff for help

Picture you are in a makerspace and the 3D printer you are using has run out of filament. Alert a staff member that you need help replacing the filament at your location.

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Task 2: Sign up to tool queue and check status

Imagine that you want to use the sewing machine at the makerspace. Find the sewing machine in the Tool Library and add yourself to the tool queue. Once you’ve added yourself, check the queue to see how long your wait is.

 

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Task 3: Find a beginner laser cutter tutorial

Picture you are interested in exploring the laser cutter in the makerspace. You don’t have any experience with laser cutters so you want to learn more about them. Search the tutorial section for a beginner laser cutter article.

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We tested these tasks with four participants. The participants we tested with were not specifically makers. Although they weren’t all makers, any data found during user testing is still valuable to discovering the issues with our crucial features.

 

During the testing, we asked participants to speak their thoughts aloud as they progressed through each task. We asked for input and feedback about the navigation process afterwards. Through evaluation of our findings, we gained a better understanding of how users should interact with our application and the designs we should work towards.