The Think Aloud Protocol (TAP) is a testing method where subjects speak aloud as they interact with a manual, device, or concept. This provides valuable feedback to improve products and understand how people think and behave. A neutral observer notes errors and conditions. TAP can also help researchers understand human cognition for tasks such as treating patients with cognitive impairment or developing programs for people with learning disabilities.
A think aloud protocol (TAP) is a testing method in which subjects are asked to speak as they interact with a manual, device, or concept. They can discuss how they are feeling as they work and solve problems and solutions out loud as they go. Many facilities record tests and observers also take notes. This information can provide valuable feedback to improve a product, understand how people use critical thinking to solve problems, and glean more general information about how people think and behave.
In this process, the tester sets up the environment, usually with minimal distractions to control variables. The test subject may be given a task such as using a manual to assemble something or solve a program. Subjects may also interact with unfamiliar objects or test things like computer software and mechanical controls for devices. The researcher tells the subject about the purpose of the test, usually emphasizing that the goal is to gather information in the most natural way possible.
The tester in the think aloud protocol begins to interact with the test object, offering thoughts. These could range from disliking the layout of a manual to trying to solve a problem. For example, a participant might be presented with a computer and asked to perform a task. The user can talk about trying to find the right program for the task, learning program controls, and seeking assistance from computer documentation.
This approach requires a neutral observer who does not comment or interact during the think-aloud protocol. If errors occur, the tester notes the conditions. Users trying out a new cell phone, for example, might make similar mistakes, suggesting something is wrong with the interface; a button that designers deem intuitive, for example, could be confusing. Similarly, the documentation in a manual for setting up a desk may be missing a key piece of information which results in a consistent error during testing.
Scientific researchers can use the Think Aloud protocol to learn more about human cognition, not necessarily with the goal of testing a product or set of documentation. A greater understanding of how people solve problems and approach new environments can help researchers with tasks such as treating patients with cognitive impairment or developing programs for people with learning disabilities. Dyslexic individuals, for example, might show through a think-aloud protocol that an educational program supposedly designed for them is not working as expected.
Protect your devices with Threat Protection by NordVPN
