Characteristics of Pluralistic Walkthrough
Other types of usability inspection methods include: Cognitive Walkthroughs, Interviews, Focus Groups, Remote Testing and Think Aloud Protocol. Pluralistic Walkthroughs share some of the same characteristics with these other traditional walkthroughs, especially with cognitive walkthroughs, but there are some defining characteristics (Nielsen, 1994):
- The main modification, with respect to usability walkthroughs, was to include three types of participants: representative users, product developers, and human factors (usability) professionals.
- Hard-copy screens (panels) are presented in the same order in which they would appear online. A task scenario is defined, and participants confront the screens in a linear path, through a series of user interface panels, just as they would during the successful conduct of the specified task online, as the site/software is currently designed.
- Participants are all asked to assume the role of the user for whatever user population is being tested. Thus, the developers and the usability professionals are supposed to try to put themselves in the place of the users when making written responses.
- The participants write down the action they would take in pursuing the designated task online, before any further discussion is made. Participants are asked to write their responses in as much detail as possible down to the keystroke or other input action level. These written responses allow for some production of quantitative data on user actions that can be of value.
- It is only after all participants have written the actions they would take that discussion would begin. The representative users offer their discussion first and discuss each scenario step. Only after the users have exhausted their suggestions do the usability experts and product developers offer their opinions.
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