Usability Starter Kit

Here are some tools and templates to help you create better user experiences. If you have resources to add, please email us.

1. Usability and User Experience Presentations:

   • User-Centered Design Presentation (PowerPoint presentation, 5.4 MB, 40 slides, Nov 2013) and Recorded Video
   • Introduction to Hallway Usability Testing (Video)

2. Usability Test:

   • Usability Testing Script (Word document, 81 KB, 6 pages, November 2013) (and Spanish Version) (Word document, 39.5 KB, 2 pages, November 2013)
   • Recording Consent Form (Word document, 23 KB, 1 page, November 2013)
   • Instructions for usability test observers (Word document, 26.5 KB, 2 pages, November 2013)
   • Usability Report Template 1 (PowerPoint presentation, 373 KB, 8 slides, May 2014)
   • Usability Report Template 2 (Word document, 20 KB, 6 pages, May 2014)
   • System Usability Scale / Post-Test Questions (Word document, 500 KB, 1 page, Dec. 2014)
   • Usability Test Plan Template (from usability.gov)
   • Usability Test Report Template (from usability.gov)

3. Focus Group:

   • Video Focus Group Script and Facilitator Guidelines – Sample (Word document, 21 KB, 11 pages, December 2014)
   • Igniting User-Centered Design Thinking at Dept. of Energy (PowerPoint presentation, 5.4 MB, 14 slides, December 2014)

4. Usability Expert Evaluation (in beta):

   • Expert Evaluation Worksheet (Excel spreadsheet, 12 KB, 1 tab, November 2014)
   • Expert Evaluation – Sample (Excel spreadsheet, 12 KB, 2 tabs, November 2014)
   • Expert Evaluation v2 (via Google Forms)

5. Personas (Audience Research):

   • Veteran’s Affairs – Voices of Veterans research
   • USDA Personas and Use Cases (PDF, 481 KB, 7 pages, Dec. 2014)
   • GSA Open Opportunity Personas (PowerPoint presentation, 94 KB, 1 slide, Dec. 2014) and article about creating them
   • Persona Template (PowerPoint presentation, 254 KB, 4 slides, May 2014)

6. Accessibility (general information):

   • Accessibility Requirements and Section 508 language template (Word document, 496 KB, 1 page, Oct 2014)
   • Role-Based Accessibility in Government (Slideshare)

7. Usability in Procurement and Contracts:

   • Personas for IT Procurement Stakeholders (PDF, 7.1 MB, 7 pages, June 2014)
   • SOW Template – Usability Test – from Usability.gov (Word document, 20 KB, 4 pages, Jan 2014)
   • SOW Template – Focus group – from Usability.gov (Word document, 17 KB, 3 pages, Jan 2014)
   • SOW Template – Usability Task Order – from Usability.gov (Word document, 27 KB, 12 pages, Jan 2014)
   • SOW Template – Usability Consulting – from Usability.gov (Word document, 18 KB, 3 pages, Jan 2014)

8. Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA):

   • User Research and The Paperwork Reduction Act: How to Get it Done – Webinar and PRA Slides (PowerPoint presentation, 811 KB, 40 slides, Jan 2015)
   • PRA Fastrack Request Example, via USAJOBS (Word document, 61 KB, 4 pages, Oct. 2014)
   • PRA Primer – OMB Guidance (PDF, 98 KB, 8 pages, April 2010)
   • PRA Fast Track FAQ (PDF, 143 KB, 8 pages, Dec. 2014)
   • Article explaining PRA and FastTrack
   • Fast-Track Clearance Process – Usability.gov
   • How To Create PRA Supporting Statements (Word document, 70 KB, 7 pages, Oct. 2014)
   • PRA Information Collection Guide, via OPM (PDF, 1.1 MB, 50 pages, Oct. 2014)

9. Mobile Prototyping:

   • Mobile Prototyping workshop (PDF, 1.7 MB, 20 slides, June 2014)
   • Ideation Matrix template (PDF, 119 KB, 1 page, June 2014)