Self-Guided Tasks

A Self-Guided task is an unmoderated request to help you check the usability and accessibility of a single task flow. A tester will navigate a task flow based on a scenario and description that you provide while sharing their screen and narrating their experience.

Illustration: Profile shot of user with headphones

Self-Guided Tasks are a great way to evaluate the usability and accessibility of a user flow. Get insights without having to run an Interview yourself.

When to use a Self-Guided Task

You should schedule a Self-Guided Task if you’re looking to:

  • Get insights on how a user would try to complete a specific task (for example, shopping for an item).

  • Benchmark the accessibility of a task flow and get an Accessible Usability Scale score. You can easily copy requests to run a series of Self-Guided Tasks to get feedback from multiple assistive technology users.

  • Complement a Compatibility Test by adding information on usability.

  • Empower cross-team collaboration by sharing video clips.

How to create a Self-Guided Task

Request a Self-Guided Task by selecting the New Request button when logged in to Fable Engage. All requests need to live within a project. Select an existing project or create a new one.

You will need to know:

  • Who you want to meet with. Choose an assistive technology type (required) and other details (optional).
  • What you’d like to learn. Enter a description to provide context for the tester. Write a clear task that is short enough that the tester can memorize it. Don’t include questions.
  • How the tester will access the user flow.
    • Provide a starting point link for the tester.
    • Provide login details, if needed, by selecting an existing environment or creating a new environment.

Save for later or publish your request right away.

Example scenarios and tasks

Example 1: Shopping experience

Scenario: You just purchased a Nintendo Switch and are looking for inexpensive games to play with your friends. You plan to purchase at least two games.

Task: Search for Nintendo Switch games and using the filters, find the least expensive options. You want to add at least two multi-player games to your cart.

Example 2: Account creation

Scenario: You want to purchase tickets for a virtual concert coming up in the next month. You realize that you need to create an account first before you can search for your tickets.

Task: Create an account using the fake credentials provided in the special instructions. Be sure to leave at least one required field empty so that you can experience an error message during the experience. While you go through the task, be sure to comment on clarity of messaging.

What to expect after a Self-Guided Task

  • After you publish your Self-Guided Task request:
  • Our moderators will review your request before it’s released to testers. We’ll contact you if anything needs adjusting.
  • When a tester has been scheduled for your request, you will receive an email confirmation.
  • The full video recording and transcription will show on your dashboard within 5 business days after you submit the request.

After you’ve reviewed your results, you can:

  • Create video clips to share with others. If your team includes folks that are new to accessibility, this is a great opportunity to book a watch party to review the findings together.
  • Use the results to inform the script for a User Interview. Plan to ask targeted questions to gather more insights.
  • Set up a recurring request to benchmark the user flow on a monthly or quarterly basis. Compare AUS scores for users of different assistive technology types to help you identify areas of improvement and prioritize next steps.
  • Benchmark your existing usability metrics with AUS scores from the Self-Guided Task.