User Test Memo

To: Melinda Meyers

From: Rebecca Scott
Subject: User Test of How to Collect Sterile Urine Instructions
Date: October 9th, 2016
Introduction
Users with varying levels of experience and expertise have tested the
Wikihow instructions of How to Collect Sterile Urine for
understandability. Since this set of directions requires sterile medical
equipment and urine, a bodily fluid, a performance test could not be
arranged. Outside factors, including location, a sterile environment,
and limited access to medical equipment, made it difficult for a
performance or observational test to occur. This is why the user test
consisted of understandability: to see if target users could successfully
perform the task if asked to do so.
Objectives
The objective of the User Test was to question users if they would be
able to successfully perform the task of collection sterile urine if asked
to do so based on the instructions provided. Since a performance test
was not conducted, an understandability test strives to see if the
instructions would hold up if a performance test were in fact conduced;
an understandability test is the first step in conducting any user test.
Another important part of an understandability test is testing users of
all skill levels. This is why the User Test conducted has three test
subjects of all varying age, sex, education level and skill levels: one
novice, one intermediate, and one expert.
Methods
In order to test the understandability of the instructions set of How to
Collect Sterile Urine, a set of directions detailing the User Test were
created with a questionnaire at the end of the instruction set. The
directions of the User Test were as follows
User Test
Directions: Read the following instructions and answer questions at the end of
passage based on instructions presented. Answer questions honestly with as many
details as possible.
The instruction set was then provided. Below the instruction set was the questionnaire as
follows

Questionnaire
1)
2)
3)
4)

Were the instructions clear?

Were the instructions easy to follow?
How did you feel about the communication overall?
Could you successfully perform the task of collecting sterile urine as a patient
based on reading these instructions?
5) Did you find the information presented in the instructions to be accurate in
your own experiences of collecting sterile urine?
6) What do you suggest to improve the instructions?
Each of the three test users was tested in Room 289 of the Wayne State University
Student Center with Rebecca Scott serving as the proctor. Each of the three test users was
given fifteen minutes to complete the exercise of reading the instructions and completing
the questionnaire. All of the test users were able to complete the questionnaire in the time
allotted.
Below are the demographics of the test users:
Test User A: fifteen year-old female, high school education level, very limited experience
with urine collection (has collected urine once or twice in a physician-office setting)
Test User B: twenty-three year-old male, college education level, Electrical Engineer,
some experience with urine collection (has collected urine many times in a physicianoffice setting and has participated in drug screenings by urinalysis)
Test User C: forty-nine year old female, college education level, Registered Nurse for
twenty years, highly experienced with urine collection (has collected urine for both
patients and herself numerous times)
Results
The results of the user test offered insight as to what should be edited in the original set
of instructions of How to Collect Sterile Urine. Each of the three test users gave
different responses when filling out the questionnaire, but all indicated that the instruction
set, for the most part, was clear and they would be able to perform the task if asked to do
so.
A few clarifications were requested, including anatomical and medical terminology. Test
User A did not understand urethra and female genitalia, even though they had
mentioned they had taken a health course in the high school they are enrolled in. Test
User A also had difficulty understanding clean catch and how to perform that task if
asked to do so. Once these terms were clarified, Test User A admitted to being able to
perform the task upon request. Test User B was able to understand urethra due to their
5000-level anatomy for engineers course in college, but suggested that urethra be
defined for others. User Test C was able to fully comprehend the instructions due to the

level of their experience, but suggested that the title of the instructions set be changed.
Below is the comment made by User Test C
Patients are never instructed on the right way to give a clean catch. The only
way a sterile sample can be obtained is getting [urine] by catheter. You may want
to change from sterile collected to clean catch. Thats what its called.
These were the only suggested changes from the three test users to the set of instructions.
Overall, they found the instructions set to be clear, easy to follow, accurate, and
successful in the objective to collect a sterile sample of urine upon request.
Conclusion
The User Test administered on understandability for the instruction set of How to
Collect Sterile Urine was successful. Each of the three Test Users was able to read the
instructions, comprehend the content, and fill out responses to the questionnaire within
the allotted time of fifteen minutes. The goal of the understandability test was to
determine if Test Users could perform the task listed if it were requested of them. Not
surprisingly, each of the Test Users agreed that they could perform the task of sterile urine
collection, even though some clarification of anatomical and medical terminology was
required.
Going forward, the initial instructions for How to Collect Sterile Urine will be revised
to include clarification of anatomical and medical terminology. Anatomically correct
photos will also be provided so users that are not aware of anatomy will still be able to
successfully collect their urine. The largest change will be changing the title of the
directions from How to Collect Sterile Urine to How to Collect Clean-Catch Urine
per Test User Cs recommendation. These revisions will hopefully make the instructions
set more user friendly to users with both limited and extensive experience.

User Test Memo Appendix

Test User As Responses:
1) Were the instructions clear?
Kind of
2) Were the instructions easy to follow?
Yeah
3) How did you feel about the communication overall?
It was helpful
4) Could you successfully perform the task of collecting sterile urine as a patient
based on reading these instructions?
I needed some parts of the body defined but after that, yeah
5) Did you find the information presented in the instructions to be accurate in your
own experiences of collecting sterile urine?
I dont know
6) What do you suggest to improve the instructions?
Define parts of the body like urethra and female genitalia. Even with a health class in
high school I had trouble with them

Test User Bs Responses:

1) Were the instructions clear?
Yes
2) Were the instructions easy to follow?
Yes
3) How did you feel about the communication overall?
It was effective in achieving the goal of the communication: directing the audience to
collect urine thats sterile
4) Could you successfully perform the task of collecting sterile urine as a patient
based on reading these instructions?
Yes
5) Did you find the information presented in the instructions to be accurate in your
own experiences of collecting sterile urine?
Yes
6) What do you suggest to improve the instructions?
Define urethra for other users. I was able to figure it out because of the 5000-level
anatomy course I took but other people may not be able to figure out where its located

Test User Cs Responses:

1) Were the instructions clear?
Yes
2) Were the instructions easy to follow?
Yes
3) How did you feel about the communication overall?
The communication was concise and easy to follow
4) Could you successfully perform the task of collecting sterile urine as a patient
based on reading these instructions?
Yes, both the directions and my experience would help me be successful in the task
5) Did you find the information presented in the instructions to be accurate in your
own experiences of collecting sterile urine?
Yes, it was accurate. Patients are never instructed on the right way to give a clean catch.
The only way a sterile sample can be obtained is getting by catheter.
6) What do you suggest to improve the instructions?
You may want to change from sterile collection to clean catch. Thats what its called