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Design of the UX Laboratory for the Department of
Communications
Juraj Fabus1, Viktoria Fabusova2
1Department of Communications, University of Zilina, Slovakia, 2Department of
Quantitative Methods and Economic Informatics Economics, University of Zilina,
Slovakia.
Abstract
The aim of this paper is to design a laboratory suitable for UX (User
eXperience) testing. The theoretical part identifies basic problems when
designing products from a customer perspective. The analytical part consists
of the research of the existing UX laboratories in the world as well as the
possibilities of using such a laboratory in the activities of the Department of
Communications or the whole faculty. In the case of the Department of
Communication, which is part of the Žilina University in Žilina, the
possibilities of using UX laboratories are different, for example: improving
the learning process, providing modern and interesting education, helping to
create student presentations, websites and its design, work on research and
scientific projects, training of marketing methods. We are discussing these
options in detail in this paper. The UX Laboratory can also be used to
support scientific and research tasks. In the design part, a laboratory is
designed both technically and economically in the environment of the
Department of Communications.
Keywords: User eXperience, laboratory design, modern education.
5th International Conference on Higher Education Advances (HEAd’19)
Universitat Polit`
ecnica de Val`
encia, Val`
encia, 2019
DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.4995/HEAd19.2019.9329
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons License CC BY-NC-ND 4.0
Editorial Universitat Polit`
ecnica de Val`
encia 1269
Design of the UX Laboratory for the Departmnet of Communications
1. Introduction
Today's world of modern technology and its constant improvement are forcing people to
think and work to exploit every opportunity to achieve the best results. Measuring User
eXperience (UX) is everywhere around us. The key benefits of UX can be found mainly in
marketing, product design, web design and tourism, which are subjects taught at our
department in the E-commerce and management study program. The aim of this paper is to
analyse and design a laboratory suitable for UX testing.
It is not so easy to make a quality product for each user. The buyer has several of his own
requirements and focuses mainly on the price, design and prestige of the product at the
shop. At home he looks mainly at functionality and usability (Fendrych, 2010). Jeff
Johnson sees design as a creative process whose boundaries are often very narrow. Our
decision about what we want to create is based on the principles of design. But in the next
case, we are greatly influenced by emotions during disign activities (Mauser, 2012).
2. UX tools
There are many tools and methods for exploring user experience. We know a wide range of
research methods which we have at disposal, from try and know methodsm which are based
on laboratory bases, to methods based on online bases (Figure 1).
Figure 1.User research methods.
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Many organizations still believe that usability testing is a luxury that requires costly
laboratories and is time consuming. In fact, usability testing can be as fast as it is relatively
inexpensive. Precious prototypes are not needed - papers research can also produce
valuable results. Necessary participants need not to be many - even 5 users may be enough
to test specific tasks. Jakob Nielsen says, that under normal circumstances, testing on five
users is enough. He claims that by adding more and more users, you will learn less and less
(Nielsen, 2000).
3. UX laboratories
Researchers focus on behaviour, attitudes, motivations, and emotions when using a
particular product, system, or service in the UX Laboratory. Thus, UX includes the ability
to measure and record user behaviour (such as efficiency, economy and learnability) and
subjective experience (such as affective, meaningful, and value aspects) from human-
computer interaction. Three types of rooms are usually used in UX laboratories (Capkova et
al., 2013) - Test room, Observation room and Evaluation room.
As a part of research, we have been investigating laboratories in the world. Information
about UX laboratories was not easy to get. Therefore, we focused our research on the UX
Laboratories in Europe and we were able to get the detailed technical specifications of two
UX laboratories, one from Germany and another one from Netherlands.
When working with UX, the following devices are used:
• Trackers - Pupil Labs Headset, Tobi EyeX / SteelSeries Sentry, The Eye Tribe
Tracker, TOBII X2-30,
• EEG devices - MindWave (NeuroSky), Epoc (Emotive), BrainAmp Standard
(Brainproducts),
• Additional Equipment of UX Laboratory - Pulse Meter, Pressure Gauge, ECG /
ECG, EMG.
3.1. Possibilities of using UX laboratories
In the case of the Department of Communications, which is part of the Žilina University in
Žilina, the possibilities of using UX laboratories are diverse, for example:
a. Possibility of testing students' response to study materials
Study materials could be tested to improve the quality of education at the
Department of Communications (Binda, Stofkova Repkova 2017). In the case of
testing students' response to study materials, it is possible to test teaching materials
available to teachers in the e-learning education system. Teachers would then get
the information they need to analyze student needs and their responses. They
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would find out whether the students' study materials were interesting, understood,
or attracted by their design. T. Bata claimed, "Our customer, our lord," which is
also true in this case.
b. Possibility of testing student work, presentations of thesis, and representative
materials of the Department of Communications
Testing designed for students to prepare different school projects. Students should
be able to test audience responses to presentations intended for defence of diploma
and bachelor's theses. They could create interesting and engaging presentations to
defend their final work.
c. Possibility to test the design and functionality of websites and e-commerce
Students of the Department of Communications are studying subjects such as web
design, web development, and more. Upon these learning subjects they are taught
to create multimedia websites. The UX Laboratory would allow students to test
their school projects web sites and e-commerce. This would improve the website's
performance features, and user-friendly design. They would gain the knowledge
needed to create user-oriented web sites. From these experiences with creating a
user-oriented website, they could benefit from their work after graduating.
d. Possibility to use the UX laboratory in the teaching of various subjects. Usage
in the teaching of modern marketing methods and management
The potential of the UX laboratory could be used to teach different subjects. Such
a laboratory would provide teachers with new opportunities and approaches to
their teaching, enabling students to be involved in the learning process or
improving collaboration between teachers and their students (Madlenak et al.,
2017). The benefits of the UX Laboratory would also be significant when studying
new, modern marketing methods. Students would acquire knowledge based on the
support of modern technologies.
e. Possibility of using the UX laboratory for scientific purposes and for
cooperation with external companies
The added value of the UX Laboratory at the Department of Communication,
would be significant in performing the scientific work of the Department. The UX
laboratory could be used in research and scientific projects carried out by the
department, or research projects implemented in cooperation with other
organizations and universities. The number of UX laboratories in Slovakia is still
lagging behind the more advanced countries. It is therefore possible to take
advantage of the state of the market and to build a UX laboratory for commercial
use to test web sites, e-commerce and products of these companies.
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3.2. Design of the UX laboratory for the Department of Communications
The first option that was considered, was the expansion of an existing UX lab. This option
has to be based on existing technical features and technologies. This may be problematic if
we want to use different technologies. The application of different technologies from
different companies can cause incompatibilities. We did not choose the variant of the
modernization an existing laboratory or a test room because the existing device is outdated.
Investing in modernization would be so inappropriate (Tothova, 2018) therefore a better
solution would be to design own UX laboratory from the beginning.
Based on the analysis of existing laboratories, we have decided to solve the UX laboratory
project by developing three options at a different expense. In the following sections of the
paper, three variants of the UX lab design will be described at different cost. The first
design of the laboratory will be based on the idea of lowering costs to a minimum. It will be
a variant where only simple and inexpensive hardware devices will be used without the use
of an eye tracker. In case of the second option, we will add the use of an eye tracker at
lower price, than in the last third variant, which includes the use of a better quality eye
tracking technology as well as biometric devices.
Detailed reports, analyzes of equipment and software as well as evaluation of analyzes can
be delivered on request or presented at the conference. Because of the extent of the paper,
we do not provide detailed hardware equipment for individual variants.
a. Variant One - A simple and inexpensive UX lab
The first variant of a simple and inexpensive UX lab is based on the fact that the
cost of building the lab will be low. It will be designed for more interesting
learning and testing among students and developing marketing methods and
customer knowledge. We set the budget for securing laboratory components to
2500 euros. The software is required for proper functionality and communication
between all devices. The software selection is adapted to keep costs at the lowest
possible level. However, it is necessary to ensure the maximum functionality of all
devices. We chose Zonescreen, Fraps, IOGraphica and WhatPulse. The lab is
suitable for student testing, simple research tasks, tracking responses to performing
tasks, and an interesting way to teach. The cost of the software equals zero. All
applications required for laboratory activity are available free of charge.
b. Variant Two - Laboratory with eye tracking technology
After analyzing the market for available devices that support eye tracking
technology, we've decided to increase the budget to an amount that will be enough
to secure this technology. We have requested price offers for study and educational
purposes. The decisive criterion was the price. For an investment of EUR 5000, it
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Design of the UX Laboratory for the Departmnet of Communications
is possible to provide a laboratory at a higher technical level of research. The
software to ensure the laboratory is in the second variant an application pack from
the Gazepoint company. The second variant - a lab with eye tracking technology -
allows us to better record the responses of the test person. To obtain more accurate
data, the use of eye tracking technology is crucial. For the eye tracker from
Gazepoint company, we decided upon the evaluation of the technical
specifications and a comparation with the concurents. The concurents provided
products with a greater degree of accuracy and functionality, but did not meet the
requirements for building a laboratory even with an increased budget of 6000
euros.
c. Variant three - Laboratory with eye tracking technology and biometric
systems
UX laboratory based on SMI technology is available at university. Based on the
price analysis of available products and the TOBII price consulting, we have
decided for a budget of 20,000 euros. The price of TOBII devices is lower than the
price of competing devices used in SMI's current university lab. Consultation with
experts has confirmed that TOBII technology will be suitable for university use.
Design of the variant three calculates with the use of biometric systems to track the
body response during the testing. Brain monitoring devices (EEG), an EMG
muscle tracking device, and a device monitoring ECG cardiac activity will be
used. Based on the information obtained from all of these technologies in a real
time, it will be possible to ensure high accuracy of measurement and the data
obtained by measuring will be more accurate. It is therefore possible to get the
exact data which are needed for research and scientific activity. The software
equipment in this case consists of Tobii Pro Lab and EMOTIV Pure EEG. The
third variant - a laboratory of the highest technological level of research from all -
provides improved eye tracking technology along with the use of biometric data.
The accuracy of the data obtained will thus reach the highest level of all three
variants. Building a TOBII-based laboratory could have a positive impact on the
research processes of the Department of Communications. It would be possible to
compare the results between the TOBII laboratory and the SMI-based laboratory.
4. Conclusion
The paper can be used as an overview of possible solutions for building a UX laboratory for
different conditions of use, and at different costs. It can serve as a practical guide for the
implementation of a particular UX laboratory. There is not paid much attention to user
testing in Slovakia. We have obtained some technical specifications of UX laboratories in
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Juraj Fabus, Viktoria Fabusova
Europe, which was difficult to receive, because of their unwillingness to cooperate and
provide more detailed technical specifications. Information and technical specifications for
components have been obtained from the producer of the individual equipment. The next
planned step of the research is to examine the possibilities of UX laboratory
implementation not only at universities in Slovakia, but also in the EU, or worldwide. To
do this, it will be necessary to identify differences in the academic environment between
countries.
Acknowledgements
The article was created on the basis of grant support of VEGA 1/0725/17 Research of start-
up company lifecycle as the basis of the start-up business model of a network enterprise and
by Ministry of Education, Science, Research and Sport of the Slovak republic.
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