[Usability]GNOME feedback, time for a new usability test?

[Roberto Rosselli Del Turco <rosselli ling unipi it>]

In the recent debate about GNOME 2 interface (button order, undo button, 
top panel, more config options for advanced users etc.) "users" were 
mentioned very often, but, AFAIK, there's been no usability test 
comparable to the one Sun performed in March 2001: is something like 
this scheduled for the near future? As soon as the major distros will 
ship GNOME 2(.0.1), and more users will start using it, time will be 
right to think of a new usability test to gather information about the 
new GNOME experience.

The SUN report was really helpful (IMHO), hope the SUN people will go 
for a bis. In case this won't happen (soon), though, we could setup an 
usability test to be performed by GNOME contributors/users. That would 
consist of:

* taking SUN study as a model, write down a list of questions ("What do 
you think this icon is for?") and tasks ("Change fonts", "Add xxx to the 
panel") to be performed by the user;

* add a "standard" GNOME 2 configuration and have the tester create a 
new user from scratch using that configuration;

* the tester asks questions and has the user perform the tasks;

* the tester adds to the report relevant information about the user (new 
user, Windows user, etc.) and comments about his behaviour (icon xxx not 
really explicative);

* the tester send the report to a central location, where they'll be 
catalogued and organized.

In this way the usability people could gather lots of information about 
how GNOME 2 is receveid by old and new/prospective users. WDYT?

Ciao

--
Roberto Rosselli Del Turco      e-mail:	rosselli cisi unito it
Dipartimento di Scienze			rosselli ling unipi it
del Linguaggio			Then spoke the thunder	DA
Universita' di Torino		Datta: what have we given?  (TSE)

  Hige sceal the heardra,     heorte the cenre,
  mod sceal the mare,       the ure maegen litlath.  (Maldon 312-3)