Usability Testing and Human Ethics: The Easy Way
The Human Ethics Committee approved my generic application to the
Human Ethics Committee to cover usability testing in teaching and
research situations. I wrote the proposal in as general a way as
seemed reasonable, but of course it couldn't cover every thing one
might possibly do to test usability.
The approval means that we can now involve people in usability
testing without any additional approval from the HEC. However, there
are two important principles:
Firstly, for usability testing to be covered by my generic
approval, the terms specified in my application must be
adhered to. This means you must read and understand my application,
and follow what it says. You must use the information sheet
and consent form that I describe, because those forms were approved by
the HEC as part of the application.
Secondly, for usability testing procedures that are not covered by
my generic application, you must make an explicit application to the
HEC. Alternatively, I suppose, you could seek to alter or widen
the terms of my application.
So, that's it. I hope the generic approval makes it easier to
undertake usability testing, and I hope my application is sufficiently
clear. If you have any comments, queries, or suggestions, please
send me email.
Robert Biddle
January, 2000
robert@mcs.vuw.ac.nz.
Here are the relevant documents:
My application in MS Word format.
My application in HTML (MSW conversion).
My application in postscript.
The information shseet and consent form
specified in my application, in latex.
The information sheet and consent form
specified in my application, in postscript.
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