With user testing we want to be able to answer the question: Does TOOL provide [VALUE] to [AUDIENCE]?
For this project, we define those variables as:
[VALUE]: Provides relevant features for identifying and deciding on species based on the planting site, conservation practice, and planting purpose, while also generating seed mixes and costs.
[AUDIENCE]: Audience in the collective below will be referred to as “users” and include the following groups
NRSC staff
BLM, Park Services, other partners
Cooperative Extension Agents
Audience for Vegspec
Group 1: Experienced NRCS Staff / Agents
Subject Matter Expertise: Highly experienced in natural resource conservation, agricultural practices, and regional ecosystems.
Technology Experience: Varying levels of experience with computers and technology, potentially ranging from basic to proficient.
Location: Typically serving a specific region or area for an extended period, with a deep understanding of local conditions and challenges.
Group 2: New Agents and Untrained Field Staff
Subject Matter Expertise: May have limited experience in natural resource conservation or agricultural practices, especially if new to the role.
Technology Experience: Varying levels of experience with computers and technology, potentially ranging from basic to proficient.
Location: May be new to a specific region or area, requiring a learning curve to understand local conditions and challenges.
Group 3: Partners
BLM, Park Services, other partners: Main difference is how land units are defined. Possibly focused on revegetation or ecological restoration (rather than conservation), especially after a fire. Might be using it for targeted seed collections.
Operational center staff: Higher experience
Field staff: Focused on revegetation, land treatment, limited application of a conservation practice
Given these two audiences, we should be sure to capture a range in the following areas:
Experience with subject matter (low to high)
Experience with technology / similar tools (low to high)
Location / area that the individual provides services within
Testing Purpose
Through testing, we will be able to assess if VegSpec supports staff in making recommendations for their region to support conservations solutions. The purpose of this phase of testing is to…
Identify any missing features crucial for successful decision-making.
Collect feedback on the overall effectiveness and helpfulness of VegSpec features for regional recommendations.
Check overall usability needs or concerns
Assess key utilization differences across various audience backgrounds
Learn more about how the tool can live within an ecosystem of planning, implementation, and checkout processes
To achieve the above we will measure the following:
We can apply the following user stories to gather data on how well the tool achieves this objective:
Feature user stories:
As a user, I want to be able to easily filter plant types using key characteristics so that I can find relevant species quickly.
What characteristics are most helpful for your decision making? What factors (cost, commercial availability, etc) are most likely to impact your decisions?
As a user, I want to be able to input basic location, growth, and conservation requirements at the beginning of my search so that VegSpec can provide me with plant species that are well-suited for my location and conditions.
As a user, I want to be able to easily compare and contrast key information about different species, so that I can make an informed choice about which species to select based on my needs.
As a user, I want to be able to create and save custom plant lists of suitable species so that I can refer to them later and share them with colleagues.
As a user, I want to be able to quickly and transparently calculate the ideal seeding rates for recommended plant species based on factors such as planting method, soil conditions, and desired plant density so that I can optimize the success of my conservation efforts.
As a user, I want to be able to generate a useful summary report based on my selected plant species and conservation goals so that I can document my work, share information with stakeholders, and track progress over time.
As a user, I want to be able to sort the list of recommended plant species by various criteria, such as growth duration (perennial, annual, biennial), nativity (native, non-native), or scientific name, so that I can easily find the plants that meet my specific requirements.
As a user, I can find my conservation practice quickly within the existing land categories so that I can find plants relevant to me.
Question: Should users get started with land types or by conservation practices? How do certain limitations affect this question?
Is it easy to discern where your conservation practice lies?
Overall value user stories:
As a user, I want a tool that is feel comprehensive to support my conservation efforts, with all the functionality I’m expecting.
As a new user, I want to be able to easily navigate the basic functionality of VegSpec so that I can start using the tool effectively.
As a user, I want the flow of the tool to be intuitive and logical so that I can easily navigate through the different features and complete my tasks efficiently.
As a user, I want VegSpec to provide me with a comprehensive and reliable resource for selecting plant species for conservation projects.
As a user, I’m confident in the tool because I have comprehensive and reliable sources for the information I’m seeing within the tool.
As a user, I want VegSpec to save me time and effort by streamlining the process of identifying suitable plants for my specific needs.
As a user, I want VegSpec to help me make more informed decisions about plant selection to improve the success of my conservation efforts.
As a user, I want to be able to suggest improvements, updates, and additions that would make the tool more valuable for me.
Stories for audience specific needs:
As a user with limited knowledge of these practices, I want VegSpec to provide me with clear and concise explanations of technical terms and concepts so that I can understand the information presented.
As a user with limited experience in plant selection, I want VegSpec to provide me with a step-by-step process for choosing suitable plants for my conservation project.
As a user with limited experience in plant selection, I want the tool to provide clear and concise instructions on how to use each feature and complete tasks effectively, so that I can learn and use VegSpec confidently.
As a user with limited experience in plant selection, I want the tool's interface to be simple and non-intimidating, so that I feel comfortable exploring and using VegSpec without feeling overwhelmed.
As a user with limited technical experience, I want the tool to provide its value and benefits in a way that is accessible and easy to understand, even for those who are not tech-savvy.
Needs for culturally significant plants/ enthnobotany (Resource: Christine Taliga, USDA, BLM also has a lot of specialists in cultural needs, same with invasive species)
User Stories for Usability:
As a user, I want to be able to easily navigate through VegSpec and find the information I need without getting lost or confused.
As a user, I want the interface of VegSpec to be easy to understand, with clear labels and intuitive controls.
As a user, I want to be able to complete common tasks within VegSpec efficiently and without encountering significant obstacles or errors.
As a user, I want to be able to easily undo or redo actions, so that I can correct mistakes or experiment with different options.
As a user, I want to receive clear and helpful feedback when I get lost, make mistakes or encounter errors, so that I can learn from my mistakes and improve my use of VegSpec.
As a user, I want to know who to talk to if my plant isn’t showing up.
Supporting Considerations
As a product owner, I want to understand user preferences for accessing and using different tools, whether they prefer a single, integrated platform or separate, independent tools.
User History Preservation
As a product owner, I want to understand whether users are interested in a user history feature in VegSpec, and whether they find it helpful for organizing and retrieving their previous work.
As a product owner, I want to understand how often users want to export or share work their others, and what factors influences their decision to do so.