Ontology-based usability testing: Fully autonomous remote asynchronous usability testing for product development

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The proposed research program focuses on developing methodologies to realize VR-based, autonomous usability test technologies that address three outstanding problems in asynchronous usability testing: i) lack of online supervisory support; ii) lack of think-aloud protocol; and iii) dependency on expert's cognitive thinking and his/her expertise. One of the drawbacks of current usability testing approaches is the requirement for the experts to supervise and analyze the usability test. The quality of results directly linked to the qualifications of the experts. Today, the success of a product is not only depends on its completeness from engineering perspective but also its effects on social, environmental and psychological needs of its potential users. Usability test supervisors cannot be an expert on all these areas that affect the success of a product in its life-cycle. On the other hand an expert system that replaces the usability-test-supervisor in theory has potentials to provide engineering, cognitive psychology, social and environmental expertise. Advancements in ontology and SemanticWeb researches and the real-time tracking capabilities of VR give us the opportunity to develop successful asynchronous remote usability testing technologies that can mimic the cognitive thinking of the test supervisor and accomplishes the test supervisor's tasks. Thus, the goal in this research program is to contribute to the knowledge that is essential to develop asynchronous, VR based remote usability testing methodologies.