UX Testing of Developer Documentation - A pilot study of OceanBase Database Documentation

Zhijun Gao, Tianshu Wang, Meina Wang, Yunhong Zhang

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingConference contributionAcademicpeer-review

Abstract

This pilot UX study aims to establish a user experience (UX) approach for assessing the quality of developer documentation, specifically for the OceanBase database company. A usability test was designed to examine task completion rates, times, errors, and satisfaction. Additionally, biometric equipment, such as eye-tracking, EEG, facial expression recognition, and measures of visual and mental fatigue, were utilized to analyze participants' experiences. The PANAS scale was employed to collect self-reported emotions. The hybrid evaluation method revealed that the OceanBase database documentation suffers from poor usability, understanding, and findability. The root causes of these problems include weak functionality, subpar interaction design, lack of conciseness and explanation, and inadequate structure and legibility. Participants experienced negative emotions and increased mental fatigue after using the documentation, indicating a substantial cognitive load. These findings will inform future improvements to the documentation and provide a foundational UX model for developer documentation. The UX study process may also be a reference for practitioners or researchers conducting similar research on technical documents.

Original languageEnglish
Title of host publication2023 IEEE International Professional Communication Conference, ProComm 2023
PublisherIEEE
Pages64-72
Number of pages9
ISBN (Electronic)9798350325508
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 29 Aug 2023
EventIEEE International Professional Communication Conference, ProComm 2023 - Ithaca, United States
Duration: 17 Jul 202320 Jul 2023

Publication series

NameIEEE International Professional Communication Conference
Volume2023-July
ISSN (Print)2158-091X
ISSN (Electronic)2158-1002

Conference

ConferenceIEEE International Professional Communication Conference, ProComm 2023
Abbreviated titleProComm 2023
Country/TerritoryUnited States
CityIthaca
Period17/07/2320/07/23

Keywords

  • Developer documentation
  • usability testing
  • user experience
  • n/a OA procedure

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