Aglet

Triage Usability Session Evidence

A session produces more than a list of frustrations. Triage notes, task outcomes, quotes, and observer interpretations before deciding what deserves a product response. Preserve the path each participant took so a vivid moment does not become a broad usability claim.

Establish what is happening

  1. Separate seeing from explaining

    Mark actions, pauses, errors, recoveries, and task outcomes as observations. Put reasons, emotions, and likely causes in a separate field. Keep exact participant language where it clarifies what happened, but do not treat a quote as proof of a cause.

  2. Group by task moment

    Cluster observations around the same task step, screen, handoff, or recovery point. Record participant experience and access context. Note whether the problem blocked completion, increased effort, or simply prompted a comment.

  3. Bound each finding

    Give every possible finding a scope, evidence count, confidence note, and open question. Compare it with successful paths and contrary observations. Identify what another method or participant would need to show before the finding guides prioritization.

What to carry forward

The triage output is a task-level evidence list that distinguishes observed behavior from explanation. Stop when each candidate finding has a scope and evidence link. Keep a finding provisional when it rests on one session or lacks context about the task.

Technical background: GOV.UK user research guidance.

Keep the decision with the work.

Use a Work Item in Aglet to record the problem, the evidence you have, and the next decision. Add an owner and priority, then keep updates in the discussion so the next person can follow the reasoning.

Create an account See the product workflow