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Author Yiyao Li, Derin Borklu, Mojisolaoluwa Idowu, Setia Hermawati |
| Abstract Usability is central in the design and evaluation of interactive systems. There are different methods of usability studies, each offering some various advantages and challenges. The Critical Decision Method (CDM), widely used in cognitive task analysis, remains underexplored in usability contexts. This paper presents two empirical studies investigating CDM’s applicability. Study 1 (n=16) examined the use of recall aids (screen recordings) with an entertainment recommender system. Results showed that recall aids only significantly enhanced recall accuracy in one out of two tasks but there was no statistically significant difference in usability insights, indicating that CDM can mostly be effectively implemented without additional memory support tools. Study 2 (n=16) compared CDM and Think Aloud (TA) in evaluating search interfaces. Findings revealed that CDM and TA are similar in their effectiveness in identifying usability problem topics; however, CDM provides more comprehensive cognitive insights. Two studies suggest that CDM has the potential to be a complementary or alternative method in usability evaluation. |
