Symptom Checker From WebMD: Problem Statement and Test Objectives

Table of Contents
Executive Summary.............................................................................................…...3
Problem Statement and Test Objectives…………………………………………………..….4
Methodology…………………………………………………………………….….………...4
Data Collection Method...…………………………………………………………….……...5
User Profiles………………………………………………………………………….…..…..6
Participants Incentives…………………………………………………………….………….7
Tasks List…………………………………………………………………………………..…8
Scenarios..................................................................................................................12
Evaluation Methods…………………………………………………..……………..……….13
Recommendations………………………………………………………………..……….....14
Test Environment and Equipment’s……………………………………………….………...14
Deliverables...............................................................................................................15
Conclusion…………………………………………………………………………..………..15
Executive Summary
This paper seeks to test the usability of techniques utilized in the WebMD symptom checker. Our company is one of the leading research-based entities that primarily concentrate on conducting usability experience tests including the content configuration of the site. The company has recently been contracted by WebMD to carry out a study on the usability of its content structure. WebMD is a health information website that helps in educating and communicating health and medical issues. The symptom determiner was primarily developed by WebMD with the focus on enabling its users to identify and understand their health concerns and the illnesses they experience.
Through the use of a Symptom Checker, users of this tool have the ability to narrow down symptoms of illnesses online through the use of the human model pick-list. The main objective of the WebMD Symptom determiner software is in providing an array of the potential conditions that are developed and specified by an expressed symptom that would require further research. The application, in this case, requires information about a user that experiences certain symptom’s including their sex and age that is then monitored through a series of questions conducted on an individual’s body and symptoms they experience.
Completing the Symptom Checker survey online, therefore, gives the user the opportunity of selecting a probable condition for research. It is essential to note that the body map remains an essential element that searches for symptoms that are prevalent in a user. The user, therefore, has the option of clicking on images that helps them in highlighting the affected areas of their body. The disclosure of certain symptoms, in this case, creates a series of more questions such as appearances, severity, and the external issues that impact the individual on the selected symptom.
Problem Statement and Test Objectives
The organization's goal, in this case, seeks to test the usage of the structured content of the Symptom detector and all the required tools that may be used to streamline the workflow and processes with the aim of meeting the desires of a user. In accordance to the WebMD symptom detector, our company will develop a study that will primarily focus on determining the accessibility of using the tool to diagnose and refine sicknesses as detailed in the application area that determines the conceivable disorders in a body diagram tool.
Through the use of these approaches detailed in this report, our company will carry out a research with the aim of evaluating the user and accessibility of the Symptom Checker developed by WebMD within a time frame of 4 months under a budget of USD 15,000. It is, therefore, essential to determine that the outcomes of this study will present an approval into recommending the usability of the Symptom Checker.
Methodology
This analysis will, in this case, be piloted by our organization’s team on their personal laptop. This proves that there will be no need of a user test laboratory in evaluating the findings of this study. The user test will be conducted within our organization’s laboratory which has the equipment listed as follows:
1. Laptop Computer
2. Network Connection
3. Microphones
The study will also employ the use of Microsoft Word and Excel to effectively examine information and prepare a detailed report. The Silverback 2.0 video software will be used to capture and to record activities of the partaker’s commentaries and facial lexes.
Data Collection Method:
In ensuring that appropriate data is obtained in this research, our organization will make adequate efforts towards recording both the subjective observations quantitative and the qualitative measurements.
The Quantitative Data:
The information detailed below will be logged into the computer during the analysis with the users:
1. The time used to locate information on the conditions that match certain symptoms.
2. The amount of participants who complete tasks.
3. The quantity of problems realized during each and every task.
4. Failures in the participants in completing the assigned tasks.
5. The number of steps in average that it takes for a single participant to complete a task.
From the questionnaires developed, the following data will be collected with regard to the assessments made on participants;
1. The appropriateness and simplicity of the labeled terminologies.
2. The easiness in using the website.
3. The reaction levels that are appealed on this site.
4. Satisfaction with the support and help provided through the system.
Through the empirical evaluation, the following quantitative measures will be considered:
1. The severity rating for the usability and the challenges encountered in the process.
2. The number of problems encountered in usability.
Qualitative Data
For the tests conducted on the users, the inclusion of the non-verbal and verbal feedback including the observations made will be collected and will include:
1. Facial expressions such as; pleasure, confusion, and uncertainty.
2. Comments and questions such as the call for help and asking of questions.
3. Verbal Comments in cases where a user thinks loud such as liking and complaining.
User Profiles
As a research-based company, we aim at conducting an empirical evaluation on the WebMD Symptom determiner interface with the aim of identifying its usability. This approach is considered informal and a less expensive approach that involves the evaluation of usability experts on the interface according to the required industrial standards. Considering the fact that the WebMD has existed as one of the competitive organizations that was formed in 2005, we may assume that the interface was sophisticatedly developed in life circles. This factor determines the need of a detailed-oriented evaluation approach which enables the users to find the issues they may deeply require that may go unnoticed.
In this case, this evaluation will take into consideration multiple users who will be individuals seeking to determine the nature of their illnesses through the use of a Symptom determiner. Experiences have shown that different individuals find difficulties in using these systems considering that one person may not be in a position to discover and determine the challenges in the usage of the inte...