Testing Day One – Solitude

We are preparing for our first day with an audience. We are going to run a number of different tests with a number of different groups. Our focuses will be on:

• The structure
• Visual and Audial Content
• Narrative content

We will test based on single user experience and group user experiences.

Below is a number of considerations that we have researched and made before starting our testing.

Testing Day One – Solitude – 12/March/2013

Considerations:

The design of environment and the effects of the setting:

We are testing in the room where the piece will be displayed at the end of the project. We are going to be using a prototype structure so the footage won’t be projected onto the final structure. The prototype structure we are testing on is an old design and is scaled by to 1/5^th of the actually size.

Evaluating/assessing the aspects of being directed or left free

During the display of the narrative/visual content the audience will be left free. They will be questioned on their experience

Narrative content

The audience will be asked to rate different narrative symbolic scenarios based on a particular mental illnesses. This will be done on a number basis and will give results that suggest which symbolic scenarios the audience relate to the most.

Coherence, clarity

The audience will be tested on many different areas of the installation from the narrative content to the visual content and the structure itself. This means that the testing won’t be running in the same order as the final piece.

Simplicity/complexity

The audience will be asked about their involvement with the piece based on whether they found it simple to experience or were there any levels of complexity that needs to be taken into consideration.

Aesthetic aspects

The audience will be asked for feedback on both the aesthetics of the footage/sound design and the structure itself.

Social aspects

Testing will be based on both a single user experience and a group experience. In the case of the group experience, we will be monitoring whether the piece causes a debate between any members of the audience

Duration, and involvement in the design experience

The first round of testing will have set durations and the only involvement between the audience and the piece will be experience the visual/audial content and the structure.

(Three levels of testing) - attraction, engagement, experience

Our questions will be structured around these three main areas.

Modalities (sensory experiences)

The impact on the audience’s mood based on their senses

Art as communication (expression)

Has the piece communicated a certain message to the audience, does the audience feel a communication with the prisoners of solitary confinement or the message from the creators of the piece.

Anticipation (anticipatory/reactionary system)

Monitoring the levels of anticipation and any views or reactions evoked in the audience.

Astonishment (aura & kitsch)

Monitoring the audience’s reaction to the visual content being displayed to them.

When (if) does emotional affect happen?

At what point if any does the audience make an emotional connection with the piece.