Single Ease Question

Why Single Ease Questions are Important

Single Ease Questions (SEQs) are crucial in user research because they provide quick, actionable feedback on task difficulty. By asking users to rate the ease of a task immediately after completion, researchers can:

• Identify problematic areas in user interfaces
• Compare task difficulty across different designs
• Track improvements in user experience over time

How Single Ease Questions are Used

SEQs are typically implemented as follows:

1. A user completes a specific task during a usability test
2. Immediately after, they're asked: "Overall, how difficult or easy was the task to complete?"
3. The user responds on a scale, often 1-7, where 1 is very difficult and 7 is very easy
4. Researchers analyze the responses to gauge task difficulty and user satisfaction

Examples of Single Ease Questions

Here are some variations of Single Ease Questions:

• "On a scale of 1-7, how easy was it to complete this task?"
• "Rate the difficulty of the task you just performed (1 = Very Difficult, 7 = Very Easy)"
• "How would you rate the ease of use for this feature? (1-5 scale)"

Frequently Asked Questions

• What's the difference between SEQ and SUS?: SEQ focuses on a single task's ease, while SUS (System Usability Scale) evaluates the overall usability of a system.
• How long should it take to answer an SEQ?: SEQs are designed to be answered quickly, typically in less than 30 seconds.
• Can SEQs replace other usability metrics?: While valuable, SEQs should be used in conjunction with other metrics for a comprehensive understanding of user experience.
• Are there cultural considerations when using SEQs?: Yes, the interpretation of scales can vary across cultures, so it's important to consider this when conducting international user research.