As we long for the days of normalcy during this time of isolation and uncertainty due to Covid-19, researchers have had to adapt their qualitative techniques to the changing times. At projekt202, this includes sparing no effort to ensure our team, clients, and participants are safe during in-person testing. Based on our own procedures, here are some tips to help you create a safe environment for your in-person testing participants.
Do Your Homework
Before your study begins, make sure that testing of this sort complies with local and state government regulations. Visit their official websites to consult the appropriate guidelines for preventing the spread of the coronavirus and make sure that your testing plan is in accordance. www.usa.gov/coronavirus is a great place to find federal resources to help you prepare accordingly for in-person testing.
Pro Tip: Share what you learn about local and state government regulations with your participants. It’s a good way to show them that you are taking the necessary precautions to keep them safe.
Keep Everyone Informed
Your next order of business should be to inform your visitors of the required safety precautions before testing begins. This can be done with a simple email that explains the steps you are taking to prevent infection at your testing facility. This proactive communication ensures there are no surprises when they are screened upon arrival, asked to wear PPE, encouraged to maintain social distance, or comply with any other safety measures you and your team have put in place. Posting signs around the waiting and testing areas is a good reminder of your instructions.
Pro Tip: Be prepared to over-recruit in case some participants aren’t comfortable with following your safety protocol.
At projekt202, usability testing is a vital tool in helping us create better experiences for people everywhere. We hope that these tips allow you to safely gain the insight you need.
Minimize the Risk
Exclude visitors who have been potentially exposed to the virus by conducting daily health screenings and emailing a short questionnaire a week prior to the study that asks about possible exposure and positive test results. The health screenings should include a hands-free temperature check upon arrival, and anyone with a temperature over 100.4°F per the CDC will not be allowed to enter the testing facility.
In addition to the emailed exposure questionnaire, have participants verbally answer the same questions upon their arrival at the testing facility (keeping in mind safe social distancing practices). Set up your questionnaire so that anyone who answers “Yes” to any questions will not be permitted to enter the facility. This ensures there is no debate regarding who is eligible to participate. A sample questionnaire can be found on the Center for Disease Control’s website, www.cdc.gov.
Pro Tip: Ensure that all documentation, including consent forms, can be sent, filled out, and returned by the appropriate parties electronically.
Get Geared Up
The first line of defense against the spread of the virus is wearing proper PPE; This should be a mandatory requirement. Masks must be worn at all times when in the company of others. It’s a good idea to have extra masks on hand just in case they are needed. Gloves may be worn throughout testing or can be removed if replaced with frequent hand sanitization, so be sure to provide your visitors with sanitizing stations for their convenience. In addition to proper PPE, all testing lab tools and surfaces, including the waiting areas, should be thoroughly cleaned after each session with a UV sanitation wand and/or disinfectant solution.
Make sure all food, refreshments, and disposable utensils are individually packed.
Pro Tip: Schedule fewer sessions to limit the amount of traffic in and out of your testing space in a day. This may extend the length of your study, but it also gives you more time to thoroughly sanitize in between sessions.
Social Distance
Practice social distancing by facilitating the test from a separate room away from your participants, like an observation lab or private office. Stream the testing sessions so that all observers who want to participate can do so from remote locations. If you are required to wear a mask while facilitating the test, consider using a high-powered microphone as masks tend to muffle one’s voice.
Pro Tip: Limit where visitors can go within the testing facility in order to limit the areas that will need to be sanitized each time.
Following a few simple steps can vastly reduce the spread of the coronavirus at your testing facility and will undoubtedly reassure all your visitors that you hold their health and safety as a top priority. Preparing for visitors to arrive on the day of testing can be a hectic time, so create a checklist that includes the details listed in this article to help you and your team stay organized.
projekt202, we believe usability testing is a vital tool in helping us create better experiences for people everywhere. We hope that these tips allow you to safely gain the insight you need.
