phaseIII

Phase III: Prototypes and User Testing

Introduction

Tune-to-Sheets is an application designed to help musicians convert their audio recordings into sheet music. Users can record a melody, upload it to the app, and the software transcribes the melody into readable sheet music. This prototype aims to assist musicians who want to quickly capture musical ideas and share them with bandmates or for personal use. The primary goal of this usability testing is to evaluate the effectiveness and ease of use of the app.

For this phase, we conducted a usability test with a small group of users to gather feedback on the prototype’s usability and determine potential areas for improvement.

Methods

The Tune-to-Sheets Usability Team conducted a Usability Test with n = 6 participants. Prior to testing, the team created the prototype of the Tune-to-Sheets application, developed an Informed Consent Form, generated a Protocol/Script for the usability study, and conducted a Pilot Test with a UX Team member. The Protocol outlined the tasks participants would complete, what data would be collected, and the expected goals of the study.

Our study employed a formative evaluation approach using a think-aloud protocol. This methodology allowed us to gather qualitative insights into how users interact with the app in real-time, providing a detailed understanding of their thought processes, challenges, and successes. By focusing on formative evaluation, we aimed to identify design flaws and user frustrations early, enabling iterative improvements to the interface. The structured tasks guided participants through key workflows, ensuring comprehensive feedback on essential features. The think-aloud method promoted transparency in user interactions, uncovering nuanced usability issues that might not surface in post-task interviews alone.

Participants were recruited from a class of CSCI 431W students. The only eligibility requirement was that they be over the age of 18. A total of 6 participants agreed to participate in the test.

Each participant completed three primary tasks during the usability test:

1. Task 1 assessed the sign-up process and the ability to upload and convert audio to sheet music. This measured ease of onboarding and interaction design related to data input and processing.
2. Task 2 focused on recording a melody and generating sheet music, evaluating accessibility, intuitiveness, and system responsiveness for novice and experienced users
3. Task 3 tested the ability to save and export sheet music in a shareable format, which reflects the functionality and reliability of the app’s output features.

The Moderator began by reading the Informed Consent Form and ensuring the participant understood the study and its purpose. After the consent was obtained, the moderator started the usability test by introducing the tasks. The session was conducted using a think-aloud method, where participants were encouraged to speak their thoughts as they interacted with the app.

Each task followed this process:

1. The Moderator presented the task and asked the participant to complete it on the prototype.
2. The Moderator noted any issues, obstacles, or challenges encountered. The follow-up questions about task difficulty and user preferences aimed to uncover pain points and areas for improvement in terms of usability and user satisfaction.
3. Once the task was completed, the Moderator moved on to the next task.

Finally, the Debrief session collected qualitative data from the participants. The Moderator asked the users about their experience, what parts of the process they liked or felt needed improvement, and any features they would like to see added.

After the test, all data was anonymized and entered into a spreadsheet for further analysis.

Findings

Data Spreadsheet: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/14gcjJwNTYkxMCjLzWiyXp6a85jUVXZgXZyBJSsmLvyY/edit?usp=sharing

Task Performance:

• Task 1 (Sign-Up and Upload): Completion was successful for most participants, though unclear instructions and initial navigation challenges were noted.
• Task 2 (Record and Generate Sheet Music): All participants completed the task successfully, with minor confusion between “record” and “convert” options.
• Task 3 (Save and Export Sheet Music): Most participants completed the task, but guest login restrictions caused confusion for one user.

Key Strengths:

• Once familiar, the interface was praised for its simplicity and ease of use.
• Core functionalities like recording and exporting were intuitive and efficient.

Key Challenges:

• Lack of clear instructions and feedback on task completion caused uncertainty.
• Guest login limitations and unclear differentiation between features (e.g., “record” vs. “convert”) were common pain points.

Feature Requests:

• Post-conversion sheet music editor/viewer.
• Extended recording time and more instrument options.
• Ability to share and browse sheet music within the app.

Conclusions

The usability test results indicate that Tune-to-Sheets is a successful prototype with positive user feedback. Participants were able to complete the tasks more efficiently on Tune-to-Sheets, and the application’s simplicity and user-friendly interface were appreciated.

Key Recommendations:

1. Improve Visual Customization: Users suggested adding features to customize the visual style of the sheet music, as this would be beneficial for professional musicians or those looking to share their work in different formats.
2. Further Testing with a Larger Sample: The study was limited by the small number of participants, so additional testing with a more diverse group is recommended to confirm these results.

Aspects to Retain:

• The audio-to-sheet music conversion process was rated positively and should remain unchanged.
• The export feature for PDFs was found to be effective and should be kept as-is.

Caveats

The primary limitation of the study was the small sample size (n = 6), which could limit the generalizability of the results. Additionally, the study was conducted with participants who were familiar with music apps, which might not represent the broader user base of Tune-to-Sheets. Future studies should aim for a larger and more diverse sample, including non-musicians to understand broader usability issues.