‍

‍

‍

‍

‍

‍

Click images above to view full reports

‍

Heuristic Evaluation

Scope & Target Audience: The game was fully reviewed from start to finish by four evaluators to ensure a wide range of feedback. The evaluation was done being mindful that the target audience is middle school students.

‍

Methodology: Applied Nielsen’s 10 usability heuristics as a guide.

‍

Evaluation Objectives

• Heuristic Evaluation: Conduct a thorough game review using Jakob Nielsen's 10 heuristic evaluation principles to ensure comprehensive coverage.‍
• Identify Design Issues: Document critical pain points and inefficiencies within the game's design to pinpoint areas for improvement.
• ‍ Enhance User Experience: Improve overall player satisfaction by addressing common user issues, refining gameplay, and streamlining interactions.

‍

Key Findings

17+

Task heuristic violations identified ranging from non-functional elements to confusing game instructions and overlapping audio issues. Provided targeted recommendations aimed at improving user interaction, clarity of game objectives, and overall gaming experience.

‍

Usability Testing

Scope: The study encompassed a series of tasks designed to test various aspects of gameplay, including audio effects, object interaction, and navigation within the VR environment.

‍

Methodology: Participants were observed and timed on specific tasks within the game. Usability issues were noted and sessions were recorded, with particular attention given to those most frequent and disruptive to gameplay.

‍

Test objectives

1. Usability: Assess navigation ease, control intuitiveness and ease of learning of the game.
2. Gameplay Experience: Evaluate engagement, immersion, and narrative integration of the game.
3. Technical Performance: Check any graphics, audio quality, latency, and identify bugs in the game‍
4. Player Reactions: Measure and record the emotional impact and
   overall satisfaction while user playing the game.

‍

Task Metrics

Task Completion: To measure effectiveness, we measured each task’s completion level, issue severity, and any positive attributes noted by the participant. In the analysis, the team categorized the frequency of unique issues by participant/category/task/severity as fit for best visualizing. The team also reported the positive attributes of the product.

Problem Severity (Rubin’s Method) 1-4

Time on Task: To measure success, the team recorded how long it took the user to complete the task. The user verbally said “ START” and “STOP” to determine when the moderator turned the
timer on and off. This ensured consistency among data collection. Observers recorded the play
time on the video playback to help with logging.

After task satisfaction scores utilized SUS and SEQ questions. Participant satisfaction ratings were collected on a task-by-task basis and at the end of a test session.

‍

Key Findings‍

37

total usability issues were cataloged

19

issues were identified as Unique usability problems.
‍

The top three issues included a lack of clear instructions at the farm station, unintuitive mangrove picking and dropping mechanics, and confusing game exit strategies.

‍

Conclusions
The study's insights point to several opportunities for substantial improvements. Addressing the top 20 high-frequency issues is expected to significantly enhance user experience and satisfaction.