# User Testing September 2023

[ToC]

## Email Text

Hi,

Thanks so much for taking part in user testing with AutSPACEs! It's incredibly helpful to have your insights and feedback. We've got some important actions to work on and there was a lot of consensus from people testing out the website, which is great because it means we have some clear ways of making progress. Please bear with us for the voucher payment. We're not sure exactly what the timeline is but we will send them to you as soon as possible!

I've included the notes taken from your user testing session below. These will be published online on our GitHub repository (https://github.com/alan-turing-institute/AutSPACEs) which is a website where we are building the platform. The purpose of publishing them on GitHub is so that we can share them with our team and use them to improve the platform. It also helps us keep a research record. We may also use the notes for other purposes relating to AutSPACEs, for example sharing our research through papers and presentations. If you'd like anything to be changed or you've decided you don't want them to be published then please let me know by the end of the week (Friday 29th September) and I will amend them or store them privately instead. You will still receive your voucher even if you decide you don't want them published.

If you want to stay involved in the project that would be wonderful! We share lots of updates and opportunities through our monthly newsletter (https://tinyletter.com/AutisticaTuringCitizenScience), so if you haven't signed up already that's a good way of keeping in touch with everything AutSPACEs related. We also have monthly open meet-up sessions. The next one will be on **Thursday 5th October from 12-13:30**. If you want to join just email me on [e-mail] and I'll send you an invite and joining link.

Thanks again for your help! You've made a huge difference by helping us improve AutSPACEs and make it better for everyone.

Very best wishes,

Georgia, Bastian, and the AutSPACEs team

## Demographic Information

* Age ranges:
* Co-occuring conditions (across all participants):
* Gender ratios:
* Socio-economic and educational backgrounds
* Use of technology:
* Familiarity with AutSPACEs/citizen science: 4/14 participants had already been involved in AutSPACEs, one had heard of it but not taken part and had been involved in similar research, the rest had no prior experience of citizen science or AutSPACEs

## User Test 1

### Positive Feedback

* Nice and bright
* Not too much text
* Unclear what the picture on the homepage signifies
* Good that text is blocked out
* Likes that you can filter out triggering content
* Content clear as it's broken up into different sections - makes navigation easier
* Good to have the toggles to filter anything you'd find difficult reading

### Suggestions for improvements

* Would like to see more clarity in the relationship between the image and the text - want the pictures to show content without having to read content
* Fewer colours would be better - 2 or 3 instead of 6 or 7
* Add colour background to information pages: quite heavy with white background and lots of text
* Not sure what CoC acronym is - can figure it out it is "Code of Conduct" but it could be clearer
* * Expects to be able to hear from other people after posting experience - this would be a draw for using the website
* There's too much text - keep it short and snappy and have text mainly in headings
* Have images which demonstrate meaning so you don't have to read so much
* Would be good to have clearer instrutions or a flow diagram to show how you would share a story. Would get lost without prompts or guidance currently.

### User Journeys

#### Please can you change the kinds of experiences you see to also include mental health issues? (experience should be hidden by default for trigger warning)
*Explore if people understand _why_ they don’t see it (this is not a search)*

* Easily completes task
* Understands how changing toggles will change what stories are visible

#### Please can you add one yourself? create an account and login (or use the username and password we give you to login)

* Expects to email someone to add experience
* Looks for email address
* Not clear how to share story
* When prompted to Login/register finds page and is able to login easily
* Some uncertaintly about Open Humans page - expects to need to click on "add data" instead of authorise
* Unclear why you would add a story to the website other than so other people can read stories
* Doesn't have an experience to share currently - unsure what would feel comfortable sharing with everybody
* Adds user story to profile page in "additional context" box and does not easily find share stories page
* Needs to be directed to "experiences" page and "share stories" page
* Able to add experience when directed to the right page
* Understands use of toggles for triggering content
* Understands what happens to story after submitted: shared with researchers and moderators before being published on website
* Expects moderation to take a few days to one week

#### Can you fill in your profile (you can make one up if you prefer)?

* Easily fills in profile page
* Would feel comfortable sharing personal information for login
* When profile asks if you want it to be publicly accessible, this creates impression that this will be a social website and your information will be a bio - reminisent of Facebook
* Understands function of toggles for triggering content - intrgued how it filters - is there a human behind it?

#### Do you think AutSPACEs could be useful to you/Would you use AutSPACEs to share your experiences?

* Would use the website to read stories

### What would bring you back to AutSPACEs after an initial visit?

* Hearing from other people, if you get a conversation like a thread
* If I knew that it was a safe space where trolls wouldn’t come

### What concerns (if any) do you have about using AutSPACEs?

* No concerns: filtering triggering content resolves main concern

### Bugs

* Text on Hompage under "How to Use the Platform" overlaps when page enlarged
* Text at bottom of pages overlaps when page enlarged

### Quotes

"This would be useful if you're going through a difficult time you can share your experience"

## User Test 2

*No prior experience with AutSPACEs or citizen science*

### Positive Feedback

* Can read it okay
* Seems quite clear
* Easy to navigate
* Understands purpose and goal of platform from top text on homepage: "I'd understand straight away what it's trying to address"
* Fairly straightforward - anything unclear would be obvious with further use
* All the triggering content is turned off which is the right default, so user can set what they wish to see
* Descriptions of triggering content is clear.
* "About Us" page is useful and contains what I'd expect to see
* Basic information I would want about the site is available on the site and there are links to other sites if I want to read more.

### Suggestions for improvements

* Have a dark theme available
* R/G colourblind: red and greens are used in the website - this makes eyes tired
* Make it clearer when triggering content toggles are changed that the stories have updated to include different content
* Toggle-all button is not clear: misses button (this is a useful feature but didn't see it initially)
* Needs a tick-box beside 'other' on 'sensitive topics'
* RSS feeds would be useful: uses these to filter information and return to websites
* Pointers to other websites that could provide support would be useful
* Unsure if would be able to use a reader view - would like it to be usable with reader view. (Currently this isn't possible as individual stories need to be expanded separately). Reader button doesn't appear.
* Would like working links to policies

### User Journeys

#### Please can you change the kinds of experiences you see to also include mental health issues? *(experience should be hidden by default for trigger warning)*

* Goes to shared stories and clicks more to read: navigates to page easily
* Easily toggles to include mental health images
* Doesn't notice change in text: unclear what will happen but expects changes made to toggles to refresh page

#### Please can you add one yourself? create an account and login (or use the username and password we give you to login).

* Unsure how to share an experience
* Expects "share" text on homepage to be a button which will take you to sharing your experience
* 'Authorise' page confusing - needs prompting to authorize project on OH page
* Uses share experiences page fairly easy
* Understands what has happened to story (not made public)
* Expects there to be a review process

#### Can you fill in your profile (you can make one up if you prefer)?

* Easily fills in details and saves just fine
* Lack of error/confirmation message is confusing

#### Can you make your experience be a public experience, a private experience, a research-only experience

* explores "My Story's" page, finds experience
* already made those publicly accessible

#### Please enter any experience (you can make one up if you prefer)

* Unclear how to contribute your own experience to user
* Unclear that one needs to log-in to add experiences
* Logs in fine once given username/password

#### Do you think AutSPACEs could be useful to you/Would you use AutSPACEs to share your experiences?

* "I'd find it helpful to know that you're not alone in whatever difficulties you'd have"
* "I keep a journal, and I find it helpful to write things down, which is a sense of relief sometimes. So it could be helpful for that too"

### What would bring you back to AutSPACEs after an initial visit?

* RSS feeds

### Any concerns?

* No concerns - all is clear enough.

### Bugs

* Formatting error under "How to use the Platform" - "register" higher than other text.

## User Test 3

### Positive Feedback

* Likes big font - it’s nice on the eye
* Likes the recommendations that people write on how to improve coping in a situation
* Likes how clear and simple website is overall

### Suggestions for improvements

* Adding story should be clearer: not obvious you need to log-in
* Have confirmation once profile is saved
* Make sharing options clearer, e.g. "would you like this private or public?"
* Unsure about meaning of "advise" text - thinks it should link to "advice" page and potentially link to other websites

### User Journeys

#### Browse to AutSPACEs and explore as you like: What do you think the goal and purpose of AutSPACEs is?

* “I Like that one doesn’t have to make an account to use it”
* Lack of clarity for which things an account is or isn’t needed?
* Like the recommendation that people write on how to improve coping in a situation
* Likes How clear is it/what the goal is
* Could explain a bit more about Autism
* Not clear that the goal is to collect experiences

#### Please can you change the kinds of experiences you see to also include mental health issues? *(experience should be hidden by default for trigger warning)*

* Finds toggles right away
* Unclear that results includes also non-triggering stories
* Grey text on top of labels might be too small

#### Please can you add one yourself? create an account and login (or use the username and password we give you to login).

* Unclear how to contribute your own experience
* Unclear that one needs to log-in to add experiences
* Logs in fine once given username/password

#### Can you fill in your profile (you can make one up if you prefer)?

* Zooms by most texts
* Doesn't make any information public or use additional info box
* Selects trigger labels just fine
* Also unclear if saving the profile worked: suggests giving confirmation message

#### Can you make your experience be a public experience, a private experience, a research-only experience

* “My stories” options seem mostly clear
* Changing sharing labels/editing existing story isn’t that clear
* Finds “share public” button but takes time
* Likes big confirmation message that experience was entered, wants same for post-profile save

#### What do you expect will happen next after you submit this experience?

* Expect public story to show up publicly, but only after moderation, even to people without an account
* Research not clear? Expects that “research” setting would allow more people to see the experience
* Expects research to be about how you're experiencing autism and how you're managing in general - doesn't mention direct impacts or environments
* Understands trigger labels, so only people who feel comfortable with content can read stories

### What would you use the website for?
* Yes, would be useful.
* Like how clear & simple the website is, it's not "not in your face"
* Would look at shared stories

### Any concerns?

* "I would feel safe because I'd only share something I'd feel comfortable sharing"
* Would feel comfortable because people wouldn't know it was me

## User Test 4

*Prior Experience? No prior experience of AutSPACEs or citizen science more broadly*

### Positive Feedback

* Likes visual of how to use platform
* Colours and visual were appealing
* Likes images and "sharing stories" click through
* Information about sensory processing and link useful and 'cool'
* Likes the fact stories have recommendations - useful - when worked in an office would be the kind of recommendation would have been looking for
* Enjoys shared stories because can relate to them
* Likes the idea of sharing stories with non-autistic people so they can understand better

### Suggestions for improvements

* There’s a lot of information - it could be clearer where things are and how to get to different places and do different tasks
* Unsure if it's just aimed at autistic people or also other people - it would be useful to make this clearer.
* Big button on front page, saying “share your story here” with a direct link would make it easier to share a story
* Changing privacy for story isn't straightforward - would be better if when you go into "my stories" they are more clearly visible at the top of the screen. Would assume it would be in the "in process" section of dashboard.
* Make it clearer stories are filtered by default
* Would have liked more of a "how-to" guide on main page - a simple, "this is what you can do in this space and this is how" on that main page without having to follow another button would be useful especially if you're in a rush
* Other than tagline, doesn't say a lot about how to use it and what you'll get from the website - have this on the main page

### User Journeys

#### Browse to AutSPACEs and explore as you like: What do you think the goal and purpose of AutSPACEs is?

* Likes visual detail of pink - likes “how to use the platform” section
* Likes sharing stories, like visuals
* Uses nav bar - likes info on sensory processing and link
* Navigates to shared stories
* Likes look of stories - starts to browse
* Uses expand button to read more of stories which are of interest
* Likes that stories have recommendations - would have been looking for these when working in open office
* Empathises with stories, enjoys the fact they are relatable
* Make it clear if it’s aimed at autistic people or non-autistic people
* Would find recommendations useful - these shared stories would be useful to share with non-autistic people too so they can understand better
* Would be useful to share these experiences with others
* Goal is to explain autism and what it is and particularly sensory issues around autism
* First impressions are it's useful for autistic and non-autistic people

#### Please can you change the kinds of experiences you see to also include mental health issues? *(experience should be hidden by default for trigger warning)*

* Goes to view stories page
* Uses nav bar
* Uses toggle
* Can see "mental health" label has flashed up
* Able to complete task easily

#### Please enter any experience (you can make one up if you prefer)

* Not clear where to go to add a story
* Understands need to register. Saw register button - but wouldn’t have explored this without prompting. Not sure if would have found it on my own.
* Big button on front page, saying “share your story here” with a direct link would be useful
* Some of the confusion is from zoom interface not AutSPACEs
* Initial login page is very confusing (Open Humans Authorization page)
* Would expect an email to say story has been received once submitted, and another email to say it’s published once it’s been moderated
* Understands the prompt boxes and enters recommendation
* Motivated to share publicly - understands sharing categories
* Knows task is completed because of success page
* Would expect an email to say it's been received
* Understands public stories go through moderation process - expects another email once it's been moderated so knows what's happened to submitted story
* Seems to easily fill in profile creation page
* Navigates to share experience page

#### Can you make your experience be a public experience, a private experience, a research-only experience

* Would want to share the website because wants to share with other autistic people in case they find it useful, as found other stories with recommendations useful
* Slight pause but navigates successful to “my stories” page
* Unclear what to do once landed on "my stories" page - goes to profile page instead
* Slightly confused by where to go to edit but figures it out and goes to the "my stories" page
* Story disappeared from my stories screen
* Wasn’t a straightforward task
* Changing sharing options should be higher up on page
* Understands story needs to be moderated

### Do you think AutSPACEs could be useful to you/Would you use AutSPACEs to share your experiences?

* Yes, it would be useful, would have been especially useful when not yet officially diagnosed, but self-diagnosing
* Works with young autistic people - it would be useful for them, I’d like to share it with them
* Would use platform for reading other people’s stories and their recommendations. Always looking for more - quite knowledgeable about autism - less drawn to academic stuff, more interested in real-life experiences than a “medical professional” telling me what I think.
* Don’t have a learning disability - although representation of all people is really important, sometimes struggle to find representation of autistic people in work - those stories where I can relate are useful, trying to be in social situations and busy environments and what makes this easier is useful.

### What concerns (if any) do you have about using AutSPACEs?

* Appreciate way you can filter stories if you don't want to hear about certain topics - only reservation would be that those stories are there and if someone is vulnerable it might be tricky for them if they come across those stories - it gives the option to filter them but not completely remove them (the fact they are filtered by default is not so clear)

### Quotes

* "It would have been particularly useful...when I was self-diagnosing and still working stuff out."
* "I work with young autistic people and I think this would be really useful for them and I'd definitely like to share this with them."
* "I enjoy it because I can relate. I'd find those recommendations useful"
* "Shared stories would also be useful to share with people who are not autistic around me, such as family and friends, so that they can understand these situations for me a bit better - because it's really exhausting having to tell people how you're feeling or what works for you."
* "I feel like I'm quite knowledgeable about autism from my work and from my own experience, and I find I'm less drawn to the academic stuff, although it's interesting, but what I'm more interested in is the real life experience of my peers and other autistic people, and I find that far more valuable than a medical professional telling me what I'm experiencing"
* "Stories about trying to be in social situations and trying to be in busy work situations and trying to make that easier for us I particularly find useful"

## User Test 5

### Positive Feedback

* Calming colours
* Really like how clear and plain it is - not overwhelming

### Suggestions for improvements

* Top menu bar: bit low contrast/invisible
* If there’s a way for people to be involved, e.g. “autistic moderators” - this needs more information, clearly displayed and linked
* Positive impact stories should be displayed - section “changes” or “results” on the top bar - link back in some way to “stories like x” or “stories about x” helped us to make this change - so it shows sharing your story is worthwhile.
* Display approximate turnaround time for stories moderation
* Have a newsletter to prompt people to return to website
* Clearly link to how people can become moderators

### User Journeys

#### Browse to AutSPACEs and explore as you like: What do you think the goal and purpose of AutSPACEs is?

* Likes colours - nice and calming
* Top menu bar is a bit too low contrast - a bit invisible
* Likes cartoon pictures - would wonder if it would be off-putting to some older people
* Likes acronym - works as an acronym - doesn’t seem too contrived
* Unsure about “Open Humans” - queries this
* Reads through information
* Typo on “explore” section - “typos just smack me in the face”
* Information is very clear
* “What is autism” section: hard to define and lots of misunderstanding in society
* Diagnostic criteria of autism don’t capture the people - they have to be exclusionary - so much more to it and how it affects your life
* Monotropism is interesting
* The goal is to gather lived experiences together to be available for non-autistic people to understand more about how sensory affects autistic people so they can have more information to make environments less hostile

#### Please can you change the kinds of experiences you see to also include mental health issues? *(experience should be hidden by default for trigger warning)*

* Goes to view stories straight away
* Goes to filter toggles - switches on mental health issues
* Checks how many are visible with and without “mental health issues” toggle so clarifies which is the one with the mental health issue

#### Please enter any experience (you can make one up if you prefer)

* Initial hesitation/uncertainty
* Would expect an “add” button on view experiences page
* Assumes needs to register, but hesitant
* Goes to correct log-in page
* “Authorize” page is confusing but gets through it
* Uses the text box appropriately, understands the kinds of experience which should go into it
* Prompts need to say that they want to be talking about sensory experiences - otherwise too broad, people need reminding
* Would prefer there to be something to suggest how long or how short or what kinds of details people want users to put in the text box
* Potentially if it’s someone’s story you can’t skip the “read before” section - it can’t be shut down, then afterwards it’s there for them to refer back to if they want to
* Looks at code of conduct - code of conduct is missing key information - doesn’t currently make sense (bug)
* Clicks on read more - also makes page load in a new tab (bug)
* When you click on things it scrolls to the bottom
* Stories that break code of conduct - when you expand this section you can’t see the expansion (bug)
* Agrees offensive story should break the code of conduct - should put a warning for future user tests or on website as example could be pretty upsetting
* Intuitively uses “what could have made your experience better?” to give recommendations for what spaces should include to make them more accessible.
* Not sure if its “enough” information
* Would like prompts such as, “where did this occur?”, “what were you doing?” - where, what, why etc. *(Example of shopping in December - everything moves places, extra overwhelming signs, everything is very bright, loud repetitive music - just a place like Lidl - not gone somewhere where I’ve “signed up for Christmas”, becomes overwhelming - why is that it’s a necessary thing. (Additional cost to online, navigating a website can also be difficult).*
* Not sure if experiences of other websites would count or be something we are looking for - (but they are valid sensory experiences as well.)
* Uses side bar to scroll
* Can’t find the submission button easily - quite far away from everything else - would expect it to be in the middle of the bottom of the page. Hard to find because last piece of text is over to the left.
* Suggests to colour submission green - "go" colour - to make it obvious and stand out.
* Success page clarifies it’s been submitted effectively
* Likes “What would you like to do next?” options - nicely laid out

#### Can you fill in your profile (you can make one up if you prefer)

* Likes that you have options to make age and gender public but that it’s private by default
* Uses box to add relevant extra information for researchers
* Would personally make description public as will influence how people would understand stories
* Contemplates “sensitive topics”
* Would be reasonably comfortable seeing most things but it’s good there’s a filter and everything is off by default
* “Presumably saved” profile information - not entirely clear
* Sees that “my stories” section has appeared
* Goes to my stories page initially - would have assumed “my stories” would also have an “add” option
* Not seeing an “add” option
* Needs to be guided to the nav bar and the experiences drop down menu - experiences and stories related but not obviously the same
* Need “stories” and “experiences” to be consistent: would stick with “stories” - you can include that they’re about experiences, but stories makes more sense as you can’t directly give someone an experience, you can only tell them about it, which is the sharing part- so this terminology makes more sense.

#### Can you make your experience be a public experience, a private experience, a research-only experience

* Goes to “my stories”
* Options don't initially seem to be in my stories page
* Expected changing sharing options to be in the top “in process” box - clicking on the tab that takes you to the pending review is not clear
* Not sure what “in process” means if not just “pending review” - unclear and inconsistent wording
* Depending on whether experienced is submitted to research, public or both - would assume research sits in database until someone is researching it. Public ones should be part of the body of published stories
* Wouldn’t expect publication to happen immediately because of process of moderation - would need to say what rough timescales are - people would like to know when - hours, weeks?
* Turnaround time - will depend on how many things are submitted - but that could be made clear, e.g. we currently have a lot of stories to work through, so our timescales are x - display roughly how long people could be expected to wait
* The moderation is very important - worth waiting to have effective moderation
* While this is about autistic people, you could imagine non-autistic people would troll this kind of site and troll what they think autism is, so moderation is very important

### Do you think AutSPACEs could be useful to you/Would you use AutSPACEs to share your experiences?

* Would potentially use site to share stories
* There’s value in knowing you’re not alone, and we can be very isolated

### What would bring you back to AutSPACEs after an initial visit?

* Adding stories
* Looking at what other stories have been added
* Might come back to add a story if something really specific happened, but not as a very regular thing
* Having a monthly newsletter asking if there's anything additional to share would be useful - otherwise life happens and you could forget to come back

### What concerns (if any) do you have about using AutSPACEs?

* What would be worrying is if it becomes just tales of woe: it could be upsetting to look at, if it’s just story after story of people struggling
* If it becomes useful and organisations use it to make positive changes, it would be good for that to be fed back in, or else there is just a feeling that we’re doing lots of sharing and nobody is listening.

### Bugs

* Typo on "explore" section
* Code of Conduct: missing text changes meaning dramatically
* "Read more" button makes page reload in new tab
* "Stories that break code of conduct" section - when you expand this section you can’t see the expansion.

### Quotes

* "Moderation is absolutely necessary"
* "There's value in knowing you're not alone, and we can be very isolated"
* "I really like how clear and plain it is. An awful lot of websites are very overwhelming."

## User Test 6

### Positive Feedback

* Likes colour and type - friendly
* Type is big enough which is important

### Suggestions for improvements

* In some places the type is in one single wide column across the screen that is difficult to read - the wider the block of type the harder to follow
* Have two less wide sections - divide up and put side by side rather than running across the whole page.
* 2/3rds is an absolute maximum for unbroken text for easy digestion - third/third/third would be best
* Picture has two straight corners and two curved corners: make this consistent.

### User Journeys

#### Browse to AutSPACEs and explore as you like: What do you think the goal and purpose of AutSPACEs is?

* Particularly like the colour, colour is important to me
* White text is nice - chunky and easy to read
* Drawn to the images, likes the cartoon
* Immediately drawn to the dog in the image - looks friendly and nice
* Talking and reading is difficult - adds an extra level of complexity as doesn't find multitasking easy
* It’s clear immediately what’s going on - thinks it’s a very positive and important thing to do
* Q - do I need to register or should I have a further look around?
* Pleased by phrase “developmental differences” rather than disorders - disorders is very offensive - kept on side with definition of autism
* Proprioception is a tricky word - find an easier way to say this
* Relates to sensory processing differences
* Information on site makes sense and agrees with it, so no lost goodwill
* Feels has a good grasp of purpose from browsing site
* Relates immediately to examples and stories
* Clear, simple, friendly looking
* Purpose of website - looking into processing differences and looking to collate information about that and understanding to help the world better for autistic people, as well as practical changes

#### Please can you change the kinds of experiences you see to also include mental health issues? *(experience should be hidden by default for trigger warning)*

* A little bit hesitant/uncertain how to begin
* Goes to share stories
* Toggles on potentially triggering content,
* Finds one which has come up with mental health issues - finishes journey
* Assumes can also use search box - would expect that to be a feature
* Relatively easy - although because search stories box was higher than toggles, immediate reaction was to type into search box, whereas it wasn’t necessary. Would be easier if toggles were the first thing
* Clear, visual instructions would help

#### Please enter any experience (you can make one up if you prefer)

* Starts off by looking through the view stories page - expecting to add there
* Confused how to add a story
* Goes back to main page
* Expects information on main page to be clickable
* “Get involved” doesn’t offer add option
* Goes to help
* Help page doesn’t include step by step on how to share
* Information on how to share a story should be right at the top of the page - after what to share but before “who” section.
* Surprised by “share stories” page - instructions make it look simple, but they’re hidden away
* I’d want to follow them as I did it - would go back and look at instructions
* Surprised to register first before can see page
* Have an “add” button where reading existing stories, and have it at the top of the page as well
* Would also want to see it on the homepage somewhere very accessible
* Expects “share” to be clickable
* Manages to log in
* A little confused or unsure about Open Humans page
* OH page less friendly than main site - goes into “serious, small type”
* Content of page seems logical
* Goes to experiences on nav bar after making profile, and gets to share experiences instantly
* Checks code of conduct
* Doesn’t feel the need to read everything fully but scans through
* Able to intuitively use text box to write sensory experience
* Slightly unsure about what would have made the experience better - unsure what to put initially
* Finds choosing title tricky
* Ticks and understands share options
* Can’t find share or save button
* Having spent time carefully crafting something sensible, worrying about clicking off page and losing input
* Button was fine but hidden by zoom box!

#### Can you fill in your profile (you can make one up if you prefer)

* “Do you identify as autistic” - that phrasing is strange - this makes it sound like I only self–identify, which is confusing wording for someone with a diagnosis - seems as if I am making a frivolous self-indulgent choice. Would prefer to be asked, “are you autistic?”
* What else would you like researchers or readers to know - this is much too broad! There are lots of interesting and relevant things but how to select which is difficult. It would be better if it was broken down into simple questions/subcategories. Would be much happier with specific questions - trying to think what’s going to be important to you.
* Taken aback by sensitive topics question - they are all important, relevant things - so it matters to me to include them - it’s very good to ask the question
* Hesitation because scanned the line, and saw word seeing - and thought about images etc. Thought, “I don’t want to see images of abusive”
* Having read the information, expecting to get an email to say either that it’s been published or that that there’s problems - would like a link with confirmation text to see where story is published - would also like a thank you and options to change mind about permissions and to be involved more.

#### Can you make your experience be a public experience, a private experience, a research-only experience

* The links weren’t obvious - not clear where to go in order to change privacy options
* Would like an immediately clear button to easily change mind
* "My stories" page confusing
* Finds where the story is eventually but it’s confusing
* Goes to sharing options
* Unclicks boxes, hits submit again
* Suspects has carried out request, but it was clunky
* Would be useful to have a button with the explanation
* Becomes more difficult once you’ve already spent time and energy writing and thinking about stressful things, so it’s a lot already. It needs to be really simple after entry or it can be overwhelming

### Do you think AutSPACEs could be useful to you/Would you use AutSPACEs to share your experiences?

* From personal side, it is interesting to share experiences and to read about other people
* From professional side, as someone who is writing about autism, it’s very interesting to see what people are writing about here - more information for me to make use of and to share.
* If there are solutions and strategies that’s interesting
* For people like employers, educational establishments, NHS, etc. the more they come across these kinds of experiences they will have more understanding of how they can make things better - it’s really important, and we have a hard time because of a lack of understanding of our processing, learning, sensing.
* Depends on autistic vs. individual take what would use the platform most for. Personally likes the idea of sharing and community.
* As a professional writer, someone who’s started blogging - dipping into this would be fascinating to find more evidence to back up own views of sensory processing, either to back up my own or contrast with my own
* Would direct other people to site if they want information, or to learn or to feel less alone.

### What concerns (if any) do you have about using AutSPACEs?

* None - because made up mind from what I read about autism and site’s view of what autism is that research has correct attitude - autism is a conditions not disorder - immediately felt it was the right attitude.
* If I was reading something like ‘disorder’ or even ‘disability’ used wrongly then I wouldn’t be comfortable - there are some sites that seem to suggest autistic people are broken and need to be fixed which is a "screaming red flag".
* Immediate sense is this is welcoming and friendly and pro-autism - the explanation is very important, not just for someone coming to learn, but also for autistic people to have the right idea of the research.
* Q: Would it be helpful to have values? Not necessary - don’t want it to be patronising, or over-explain and over-justify.
* It was very clear autistic people were involved in it, which is really important - often research is done by people who aren’t autistic - but immediately got the sense that’s what the site is about.
* Most people are automatically sub-consciouly suspicious - automatically making assessments: autistic people have to be careful. This site passes that test
* Big immediate pitch line is helpful
* Baffled by the cartoon - it’s lovely but it doesn’t make sense
* Two curved corners two straight corners - they don’t mix for no clear reason
* Cartoon seems a safe space for two autistic people to sit and have a nice time with a lovely dog.

### Quotes

* "I'm very much liking what you're aiming to do. I think it's incredibly important. That feels very positive and that's very clear right away"
* "This is interesting and useful, especially if people have found things difficult and found ways to ease it"
* "Autistic people have a really difficult time of it largely because of a lack of understanding of our experiences and our sensory processing...so this is really important"
* "I immediately felt that it had the right attitude...My immediate sense was: this is safe, this is welcoming, this is autistic-friendly"
* "So much research about autism is written by white middle-aged men who are not autistic."
* "Colour seems to cheer up my brain and make me smile"
* "Sites like this can hopefully promote understanding. Anything like this that could increase understanding and support flourishing is important"

## User Test 7

* No prior experience with AutSPACEs or citizen science

### Positive Feedback

* Really likes the recommendations and having it spelt out: very constructive
* It’s not just an archive of accounts
* Already lots of spaces where autistic people vent online, this is not it
* Colors are good, not too loud
* Toggles are good and easy to use

### Suggestions for improvements

* Would want a separate search for recommendations
* Black on white text doesn’t work really well -> would like a dark theme - but should be optional to account for changing preferences
* Could be useful to compress things. Header banner is taking a lot of space that pushes content down.
* Red title texts of experiences (and red in general) not a great colour.
* * Would be useful being able to search for recommendations on different topics
* "Thank you for sharing your story" confusing as "sharing" implies public or researchers may be able to read it when it could be private
* Would be important to have autistic people that need support included too - make this clear on site
* Highlight the recommendations feature

### User Journeys

#### Browse to AutSPACEs and explore as you like: What do you think the goal and purpose of AutSPACEs is?**

* Expects the “how to use the platform” icons be links to different things
* Allied organisations are good to have, making sure that it’s “good” project. Maybe having them further up on the page could be good
* Could be useful to highlight that “asperger’s syndrome” is an outdated term, some people take offence to it now
* Browses stories, likes the toggles for trigger content
* Didn’t notice that the non-triggering ones are listed first
* Q: is there something that would help make the change of stories when you've used the roggles more clear?
* Goal: let autistic people share sensory experiences in public spaces
* Three goals of the platform should link to other pages
* Doesn’t find advice - not sure if there is any advice in the platform for organisations to look at advice
* Finds the recommendations of the single stories -> would be nice to collate them

#### Please can you change the kinds of experiences you see to also include mental health issues? *(experience should be hidden by default for trigger warning)*

* Finds toggles easy to use
* Completes task easily

#### Please enter any experience (you can make one up if you prefer)

* Looking for “add story” button on the “view story” page, then searching menu bar for the option
* Finds “login” option and recognises needs to login
* Adds profile data
* Confused if save worked
* Doesn’t easily find “share stories“ after login. Looking on “share page”
* Eventually finds it in menu bar
* Before login: would help to have a tab on “how-to-share experiences” or instructions on how to do this (e.g. linked to “share” on the front page)
* Logging in takes you elsewhere: should be outlined that this will happen and where you will go
* Trigger label profile should be clearer on what/how the defaults are used and that they can be overridden
* “My stories” should also include a section on “add a story”
* Unclear why the numbers on “my stories” page under “in process” are at 0 when story has been added

#### Optional: Can you make your experience be a public experience, a private experience, a research-only experience

* Could have helped to change the “thank you for sharing your experience”, to not say that when doing a private story as "sharing" makes it seem that it might be public
* Could help to have privacy settings on “my stories” page to change those settings

### Do you think AutSPACEs could be useful to you/Would you use AutSPACEs to share your experiences?

* Doing some mentoring of autistic people. If someone said they’d e.g. start a course of chemotherapy it would be useful to point to the page to search stories for medical treatments/chemotherapy
* Would be useful being able to search for recommendations on different topics
* Would also consider sharing experiences: worth thinking about what would incentivize it, as entering it takes some time
* Not a forum, so no obvious incentive of getting feedback
* Potential fix: give people option to share if they find something useful and have the number of people who found things useful attached to the story.

### What concerns (if any) do you have about using AutSPACEs?

* Whether it’s anonymous - but looks like it
* Concern about who can add stories, e.g. non-autistic carers - would be important to have autistic people that need support included too
* Maybe highlight the recommendations beyond the sharing of stories

## User Test 8

*No prior experience with AutSPACEs or citizen science more broadly*

### Positive Feedback

* Contrast of text and background works well
* Loves the dog in the picture!
* Good that there's not too much text and it's broken down into sections
* Likes learning more about _all_ autistic people, not just subsets
* Likes that the data safety is outlined and considered
* Likes the color label showing which stories include triggering content

### Suggestions for improvements

* Some bits were tricky, but also made harder by feeling somewhat self-conscious of being watched
* Numbers in dashboard can be confusing
* Would be good to break down the questions more for some people, or at least have this as an option
* Different “register, share, choose” etc. texts should maybe also link
* Have different colours for different triggers

### User Journeys

#### Browse to AutSPACEs and explore as you like: What do you think the goal and purpose of AutSPACEs is?

* Contrast of text and background works well
* Loves the dog in the picture!
* Good that there's not too much text and it's broken down into sections
* Boxes on front page seem to run over
* Likes learning more about _all_ autistic people, not just subsets
* Likes that the data safety is outlined and considered
* Different “register, share, choose” etc. texts should maybe also link
* BUG: Open Humans links are incorrect
* Q: What is the page for?
* Place for sharing what your experience is on specific environments/senses and look and see what other people experience

#### Please can you change the kinds of experiences you see to also include mental health issues (experience should be hidden by default for trigger warning)
Explore if people understand _why_ they don’t see it (this is not a search)

* Trouble finding stories: thought might log-in to view stories due to bug
* Doesn’t find menu bar
* Finds experiences by using button at bottom of page
* Toggle button is easy to use in comparison
* Getting from the main page to story page was hard/confusing
* Likes the color label showing which stories include triggering content
* Suggests different colours for different triggers

#### Please can you add one yourself? create an account and login (or use the username and password we give you to login).

* NOTE: screen not large enough for actual menu bar: gives collapsed hamburger menu that is not seen!
* Once login flow starts it goes more smoothly
* Does not like open-ended question: unclear what level of detail to give and how to phrase it. Could enter so many things - unsure if the aim is to only put what seems most relevant to the platform, or more generally things I’ve done in my life?
* Slightly confused about toggles on profile page: unsure which direction they work?
* Skipped most of the toggles for making information public
* Lack of clarity that profile is saved
* Keeps going back to front page
* NOTE: TURNS OUT THE ZOOM HEADS COVERED THE MENU BAR

#### Please enter any experience (you can make one up if you prefer)

* Entering the experience itself works without problems: experience entered is relevant to AutSPACEs itself
* Doesn't like having to enter a title text
* Hard to pick trigger label, as it feels subjective

#### Optional: Can you make your experience be a public experience, a private experience, a research-only experience

* Expects stories that are not public or research to be in private space
* Also appreciates the support for “experience of someone else” to support e.g. autistic step-kids
* Might want to allow expereince to have both bits of first & second-hand experience
* Success message is really clear
* Very easy to change settings
* Understands story will be reviewed first to make sure the experience is appropriate

### Do you think AutSPACEs could be useful to you/Would you use AutSPACEs to share your experiences?

* It can be really hard to do research on this topic (sensory differences), but really important
* Sharing strategies is important and also seeing the experience and relating it to why the strategy is the way it is
* Useful to look at other people’s experiences to get ideas how to manage own challenges
* Might be helpful to see that other people struggle too

### What concerns (if any) do you have about using AutSPACEs?

* Has been told about the safety considerations, moderation etc. - it would be most concerning but it’s been addressed, same for data privacy/use.
* There is enough information but it can be hard to find and hard to know what buttons to press.

### Bugs

* Open humans links are incorrect
* Screen not large enough for actual menu bar, gives collapsed hamburger menu that is not seen!

## User Test 9

*No prior experience of AutSPACEs or citizen science*

### Positive Feedback

* Top of Front page is very clear on objectives etc. in particular *big hero* sentence.
* Recommendations are good
* Good that one can be quite deliberate about what personal information is shared
* Likes the examples for free-text field to help understand what to include

### Suggestions for improvements

* Use only two colours, e.g. turquoise and white.
* The “what is autism” page is good content, but might be better presented differently (e.g. as visuals instead of only text – as there’s lots of text).
* The “what is autism” page is good content, but might be better presented differently (e.g. as visuals instead of only text – as there’s lots of text).
* * Titles should be capitalized
* Ask "Are you autistic?" instead of, "Do you identify as autistic?"
* Have a confirmation message when profile is completed
* Good to keep people anonymous, but maybe offer the chance to put a name as some people would like that!

### User Journeys

#### Browse to AutSPACEs and explore as you like: What do you think the goal and purpose of AutSPACEs is?

* Like first impression was that there were only two colours, but then things get more colourful, and it's too overwhelming - suggests only using e.g. the turquoise/white
* Menu bar is easy to navigate
* Likes the pages that remain simple in white/turquoise
* The “what is autism” page is good content, but might be better presented differently (e.g. as visuals instead of only text – as there’s lots of text).
* Exploring the existing experiences seems to work quite well
* Expanding individual experiences is good so as to not clog up pages
* Titles should be capitalized
* Recommendations are good
* About goal/purpose of the website: it is about taking into account how autistic people perceive “normalized” spaces, sensory processing etc. but that autistic people have different needs. Trying to achieve spaces more autism-friendly using their anecdotes.
* Rather than an individual like me browsing this, would maybe have a “B2B” version to help businesses become more inclusive
* Feels like it’s mainly B2B and not B2C
* General question of if this is a business or research thing

#### Please can you change the kinds of experiences you see to also include mental health issues (experience should be hidden by default for trigger warning)
*Explore if people understand _why_ they don’t see it (this is not a search)*

* Prompt is a bit unclear, as prompt is “experiences” but UI says “show stories”
* Once rephrased task is easy to solve

#### Please can you add one yourself? create an account and login (or use the username and password we give you to login).

* Looking to find how to share story - does not find option
* Interesting that it asks about “identifying” as autistic instead of asking if you are “diagnosed”
* Disliked this phrasing, as it opens it up for anyone who says they are autistic, even if they aren’t. Could be misleading. Maybe just ask “Are you autistic?”
* Good that one can be quite deliberate about what personal information is shared
* Likes the examples for free-text field to help understand what to include
* Lack of confirmation message, typically misses a box somewhere when filling in forms so lack of confirmation is confusing
* Interesting you don’t ask for a name
* Good to keep people anonymous, but maybe offer the chance to put a name as some people would like that!

#### Please enter any experience (you can make one up if you prefer)

* Finds the “share stories” page after a bit of hesitation in the menu bar (difference between “my stories”, “view stories”, “share stories” not fully clear
* Like that the boxes for CoC are before actual form to inform people
* Example stories that break CoC are too dark
* What goes into which field of the form is clear
* Submit box could be bigger, otherwise straightforward
* Success message should say roughly how long it’ll take before it’s published/reviewed

#### Can you make your experience be a public experience, a private experience, or a research-only experience

* "My stories page" seems easy to find
* Navigates to individual story and removes “sharing” flag easily
* Expects experience to be moderated, but would like to know timeframe

### Do you think AutSPACEs could be useful to you/Would you use AutSPACEs to share your experiences?

* Would be useful when I have a story I’d like to share
* Personally, would use it mostly for reading other people’s stories and see how it relates to own life

### What would bring you back to AutSPACEs after an initial visit?

* Not sure, the stories could provide some thumbs up/down to vote on agreement/disagreement of experiences to see what has changed, and continue contributing
* Q: Do you think it would affect how you write your stories?
* A: No, as popularity isn’t the main goal of the website

### Any concerns?

* Data protection, anonymization, privacy, etc. all seem handled
* If people started naming other people or businesses then that could be a problem, but I guess you moderate that

### Bugs

* BUG/IMPROVEMENT Then clicks on “register” -> Register page has a link that does _not _ take to login/signup but OH main page
* BUG/TYPO: “the following stories will be automatically disapproved” should be “discriminates against the following characteristics:”

## User Test 10

*No prior experince with AutSPACEs or citizen science*

### Positive Feedback

* Like the colour
* Like that it’s private & anonymous & also the dynamic consent of being able to change stories
* Like that there’s a search box to find things of interest
* Like the trigger labels

### Suggestions for improvements

* Make it clear that trigger labels can be changed after the profile is set up
* Have an "unsure" option when you are selecting trigger labels and indicate that moderators can help you

### User Journeys

#### Browse AutSPACEs and explore it as you like: what do you think the goal and purpose of AutSPACEs is?

* Like the colour
* First thing noticed is picture on right-hand side, looking at that - the dog looks a bit disturbed
* Click on “about”, reading through autspaces page
* Reading through about the platform usage/registration
* Like that it’s private & anonymous & also the dynamic consent of being able to change stories
* Also enjoy reading other people’s stories if they’ve shared them
* Joined an autistic forum & facebook page and was really amazing to find other people with similar experiences, after years of thinking I'm the only one
* Like that there’s a search box to find things of interest
* Like the trigger labels
* Scrolls through the stories to see which ones to read
* Q: Do you have a sense of the purpose/goal of the website
* A: for people to create an anonymous account about sensory issues/experiences and people sharing can choose to make them public or for research
* Also anyone can read about the sensory experiences that people made public

#### Please can you change the kinds of experiences you see to also include mental health issues (experience should be hidden by default for trigger warning)
Explore if people understand _why_ they don’t see it (this is not a search)

* Trigger toggle found immediately, and see that there’s now more stories, including the one with mental health issue

#### Please can you add one yourself? create an account and login (or use the username and password we give you to login).

* Immediately goes to register (clear that one needs to login/register in order to create stories)
* Unclear if one needs to authorize to join - this could be clearer
* Probably wouldn’t be filling in free-text right away, but would come back and do it later
* Also probably wouldn’t make it publicly accessible but only for research
* Trigger labels:
* Would probably want to change them depending on how feeling on a given day
* Should be clear that this can be changed
* “Think it’s saved, i clicked on it but i don’t get a clear message saying ‘it has been saved’”

#### Please enter any experience (you can make one up if you prefer).

* Explores “My stories” and “Account” to try to add story
* “My stories” only shows already written stories
* Doesn't see how to submit a story on this page
* Tries going back to main page instead
* Clicking on “experiences” in menu bar
* Then on “share story”
* Seems like lots of things to read before one can share a story
* Q: is it too much?
* A: probably not , feels like a lot because it’s three things
* “What is considered to be sensory” -> names 7 senses but only six are there
* "Read more" button doesn’t work
* “Code of conduct” -> long list of things that seem to be not approved
* “Stories that break CoC” - read more button doesn't work
* Language is quite harsh
* Discrimination story should not be published
* Choosing titles for stories is hard
* Unclear on whether to choose trigger label for mental health issues, as the experience mentions “being anxious in a waiting room”
* Q: is there anything that might make that easier?
* A: indicating that one isn’t fully sure and a moderator might help then.
* Might also use the “other” field to say “not sure”
* Q: How was that? easy/hard/frustrating?
* A: it didn’t take me too long, but it wasn’t totally clear where the “share story” option was.

#### Optional: Can you make your experience be a public experience, a private experience, a research-only experience

* Slight confusion about the tabs on “my stories” on where stories are
* Notices that before was only for “sharing public” and not research, thought that public includes research.
* Need to be clear that one can do only one!
* Expects story would be reviewed by a moderator for whether it’s appropriate or not. If appropriate public would be able to read it

### Do you think AutSPACEs could be useful to you/Would you use AutSPACEs to share your experiences?

* Would definitely find AutSPACEs useful for sharing experiences & reading.
* Would use it mostly for reading other people’s stories, not sure if one can reply and interact with other people’s stories. Would like to be able to respond to other people’s experiences. Or even just a button to say, “I relate to this”.
* Would prefer mainly text, maybe diagrams but not videos, prefer reading over viewing video.

### What would bring you back to AutSPACEs after an initial visit?

* Enough information to intrigued, maybe more information about the different senses, typically think about 5 but there’s more than those 5 and people might not know about them and how they shape their experiences.
* Generally spending lots of time reading experiences.
* Or having an intense experience to be reminded of the existence of the website and return.

### Any concerns?

* If you can create and share anonymous stories, then no concerns. Lovely when people share and exchange stories.
* I really enjoy user testing and it's really fun but being watched makes it hard and makes me nervous

### Bugs

* BUG: same as for UT 9, register page does not have working login/register link.
* BUG/TYPO: “What is considered to be sensory” -> names 7 senses but only six are there.
* "Read more" button doesn’t work
* BUG/TYPO: code of conduct missing key sentence saying content which "discriminates against on the basis of characteristics" so looks like a lot is forbidden.
* BUG: “Stories that break CoC” - "read more" button doesn't work

### Quotes

* "The world would be a much better place if autistic people had more of a say in how public places are used and designed"
* "I like that there's a possibility to share your story. I think that's really important, because often people don't get an opportunity to share their story, so nobody knows what it's like for them"
https://hackmd.io/f1AnlqwDRk29_9SwuUkzjg#User-Test-11
## User Test 11

Prior experience? *Long-term key collaborator with AutSPACEs*

### Positive Feedback

* Nicely laid out, good blue & pink colours - like the "muted" blue
* Good spacing, generally well-laid out
* "How to use the platform is good", & having data usage text as well is helpful
* It’s not “too big” as a website – it’s focused and looks nice, has all the information you need, easy to share stories.
* Like how simple the process itself is including choosing settings

### Suggestions for improvements

* “What is autism” -> understand why focus on sensory processing on page, but maybe could also highlight some of the other differences afterwards?
* Sharing stories is a key part of the website and should be its own menu point in the navigation bar
* The flow diagram needs to have a little box on main home page to take you to the diagram. And the diagram should link out to pages it talks about
* “Ideally have a button to give you a outline of how the pages work and link to each other, e.g. have a visual map of the pages”
* Have an easier way to sign the consent form.

### User Journeys

#### Browse to AutSPACEs and explore as you like: What do you think the goal and purpose of AutSPACEs is?

* Nicely laid out, like the "muted" blue. Good blue & pink colours: "clear-thinking blue" and "strawberry ice-cream pink"
* Good spacing, generally well-laid out. Easy to read - not off-putting in any way.
* “What is autism” -> understand why focus on sensory processing on page, but maybe could also highlight some of the other differences afterwards?
* “What is AutSPACEs”: clear description of what AutSPACEs is
* "How to use the platform is good", & having data usage text as well is helpful
* So far easy to use and do, including changing viewable experiences task
* Naturally finds and explores the experiences page,
* Uses the trigger label toggles and even uses the mental health one without being prompted

#### Please can you add one yourself? create an account and login (or use the username and password we give you to login).

* Login process works well
* “What would you like researchers to know about” ->
* Filling profile without larger issues, potentially lack clarity
* Can’t find “the share your stories” page
* Then enters story itself without issues
* Enters example of sensory difference & title without challenge
* “Sensitive topic” -> “other” -> inanimate objects
* Clear on the two different sharing options
* Helpfully says what happens now
* Q: how did you find the process?
* A: really easy, except sharing stories is a key part of the website and should be its own menu point in the navigation bar
* Otherwise love the process, it’s not “too big” as a website – it’s focused and looks nice, has all the information you need, easy to share stories

#### Optional: Can you make your experience be a public experience, a private experience, a research-only experience

* Slight confusion on where to find story, finds “my stories page” but then “empty” page due to tabs not easy to find at frist, but finds story and edits successfully
* Overall journey “was okay”, but would be good if the help section explains how to do this! (and it does but is not sufficiently clear)
* Consulted Flowchart but said it’s not the most easy bit
* Expects Public Story to be moderated, then goes to help section & flow chart to review if that’s the case

### Do you think AutSPACEs could be useful to you/Would you use AutSPACEs to share your experiences?

* Yes, would already love to use it right away
* Would like to share a lot of stories
* Also wants to share with others, as working with others who have stories to share e.g. in zoom chats and at meetings etc.

### What would bring you back to AutSPACEs after an initial visit?

* Like how simple the process itself is including choosing settings
* Frustrations: just the initial nervousness

### Any concerns?

* “None whatsoever”

### Which information would you have needed to better understand AutSPACEs?

* The flow diagram needs to have a little box on main home page to take you to the diagram. And the diagram should link out to pages it talks about.
* “Ideally have a button to give you a outline of how the pages work and link to each other, e.g. have a visual map of the pages”

### Quotes

* "It's fabulous. I really like it"

## User Test 12

Prior experience? *Long-term key collaborator with AutSPACEs*

### Suggestions for improvements

* Make it iPad compatible!
* Moving down menus was not easy to find (e.g. “share experiences”, “register” etc)
* Change the red colour of headings for stories
* * “Thank you for sharing your story” is confusing if one doesn’t actually share it
* Maybe worth having a moderator explaining “why we moderate”
* Include example experiences for people to understand what the expectation is
* Testimonials of why sensory processing is an important topic/research area
* Put something on about AutSPACEs in April for the April acceptance week and use to share the platform and bring people into using AutSPACEs

### User Journeys

#### Browse to AutSPACEs and explore as you like: What do you think the goal and purpose of AutSPACEs is?

* Formatting of “about autspaces” broken on iPad in portrait orientation
* Floating bits of “scrollspy” is overlaying with actual content
* Typo: “an empathise”, also double “them”
* Maybe have “Open Humans” be consistently highlighted
* CoC link is still in broken markdown
* Footer looks weird on iPad too
* Links should work (e.g. glossary would be useful to have)

#### Please can you change the kinds of experiences you see to also include mental health issues (experience should be hidden by default for trigger warning)
Explore if people understand _why_ they don’t see it (this is not a search)

* Hamburger menu hard to find/see in responsive mode, missed
* Clicks on “register” and then “open humans”
* Does not actually link to right page
* Toggle works as expected
* Doesn't like colouring of headings (red)
* Slight grey for other texts not enough contrast

#### Please enter any experience (you can make one up if you prefer)

* Profile also looks jumbled on iPad
* But overall works
* Goes to “my stories” page initially
* Q: is “rejected” too strong a word?
* Could be taken too personally
* Experiences sub-menu is confusing
* Uses boxes appropriately when directed to the right page
* Likes the success message
* Q: how did you find the task?
* A: overall it was easy, maybe include an option of, “do you have advice for anyone else?”

#### 6. Optional: Can you make your experience be a public experience, a private experience, or a research-only experience

* Uses back buttons to “edit” story, which will actually not edit the existing story but submit a second story.
* “Thank you for sharing your story” is confusing if one doesn’t actually share it
* Assumes that experience will be saved in a given “category” (e.g. “transport”)
* Q: do you think it’ll be published immediately?
A: probably takes a few days due to moderation

### Do you think AutSPACEs could be useful to you/Would you use AutSPACEs to share your experiences?

* Would definitely use more than certain other apps, as you have the satisfaction to know you can learn from other people’s experiences
* Learning from each other is a positive
* Would use the platform for reading during episodes of insomnia!

### Any concerns?

* No concerns
* Some people who have never encountered CoCs might be put off by having it
* Maybe worth having a moderator explaining “why we moderate”

### Which information would you have needed to better understand AutSPACEs?

* Example experiences for people to understand what the expectation is
* Testimonials of why sensory processing is an important topic/research area

### Bugs

* Formatting of “about autspaces” broken on iPad in portrait orientation
* Floating bits of “scrollspy” is overlaying with actual content
* BUG/TYPO: “an empathise”, also double “them”
* CoC link is still in broken markdown
* Footer looks weird on iPad too
* Open Humans link does not go to the right page
* Profile page is jumbled on iPad

## User Test 13

Prior experience? *Long-term key collaborator with AutSPACEs*

### Suggestions for improvements

* “AutSPACEs” on front page should have different font: using a slightly bigger font for the “SPACE”
* Scan site to find opportunities to use graphs/data visualization/to help make things clearer: there might be opportunities to have things in a visual form.
* Have more interactive elements - be able to click on text and have follow-through with sensible links
* Visual layout is confusing - have headings in each colour section to demonstrate what it’s for
* Updates on impact would be helpful on the site to feed things back, and also make one feel compelled to share generally.
* Make it easier to fill in consent form (e.g. Docusign?)

### User Journeys

#### Browse to AutSPACEs and explore as you like: What do you think the goal and purpose of AutSPACEs is?

* Not 100% sure if “view stories” would be just for “viewing” or also sharing?
* increase/share/advise & how to use the platform doesn’t have anything to click into - nothing is linked
* BUG: “how to use platform” should not link to “login page” but help
* Different colours on frontpage: unclear if they have meaning or are just for visual interest.
* Sections on platform mentioned above: lack of CTA/interactive methods
* White section on increase/share/advise has no headline, unclear what it’s about
* Visual layout is confusing - have headings in each colour section to demonstrate what it’s for

#### Please can you change the kinds of experiences you see to also include mental health issues (experience should be hidden by default for trigger warning)
Explore if people understand _why_ they don’t see it (this is not a search)

* Thinks it could probably be in "view stories" but scrolls to bottom of page
* Finds view story page, reads over toggle descriptions, manages to include story
* OBSERVATION: expects the headlines/titles of single story to be a “collection” of experiences, instead of it being a single story

#### Please can you add one yourself? create an account and login (or use the username and password we give you to login).

* Goes to “get involved" section initially - this is not where to share a story, and is more about platform development, but it isn't clearly the case
* None of the “share options” on front page actually link to how to share story
* Unclear that one needs to log in
* Ends up logging in through the “BUG” login section outlined above
* Goes through profile itself without any issue
* Saving is unclear/confusing due to lack of confirmation message

#### Please enter any experience (you can make one up if you prefer)

* Confusing that Open Humans said “add data” in top-right of OH page when logging in/confirming authorisation
* Uses boxes in share stories without issue, but takes some time to find page using nav bar
* Triggering labels are hard to answer (i.e. “does my story have a triggering element”)
* Instinct to put on trigger labels and take labelling from other websites (if there is any that do this well)
* COMMENT BGT: don’t think there’s a “gold standard” - if anything most solutions now are based on “freetext CWs”
* Distinction between Violence & Abuse is not clear, maybe some could be broken down into smaller categories?
* NOTE: confirmation message said “autistic moderator” - should remove the “autistic”, as currently we don’t require this from all moderators

#### Optional: Can you make your experience be a public experience, a private experience, or a research-only experience?

* OBSERVATION: seems most participants pick “public” as default
* Finds “my stories page”
* “Dashboard” numbers are all “fake” and should be counted up!
* Clear that it’ll be moderated, well-explained what will happen

### Do you think AutSPACEs could be useful to you/Would you use AutSPACEs to share your experiences? What would you use the website for?

* Yes, not aware of any other sites that would do the same for sharing experiences
* Backing of known organisations that make it worth the time - updates on impact would be helpful on the site to feed things back and also make one feel compelled to share generally
* “One vote matters and one experience matters”
* Thinking about clarity of what the platform offers (lack of clarity around what there is beyond sharing experiences - i.e. reading other people’s experiences).
* Wonders if biased as has been involved in platform before, but in community chats, discussions etc.
* Useful to have the social connection - but at the same time some of the topics are radioactive through possibility of getting emotionally involved
* Q: does autspaces provide the level of control you wish?
* A: mostly yes

### Any concerns?

* Having control over sharing experiences: don’t want it to be too burdensome, but wants it to be possible to share experiences. Can be too much and overwhelming
* Could take up too much energy to have a discussion - better to remove additional contribution options?

### Which information would you have needed to better understand AutSPACEs?

* More information in visuals/diagrams/graphs - present more visually to be more engaging
* HIghlight what’s driving funding project - people struggling, lack of diagnosis etc. - emphasise impact on people - what is missing from autistic people’s lives
* Could e.g. highlight things like number of people undiagnosed, waiting times for diagnoses, etc. through visuals, “people can’t unknow”

### Bugs

* “How to use platform” section should not link to “login page” but help page
* Confirmation message said “autistic moderator” - should remove the “autistic”, as currently we don’t require this from all moderators
* Dashboard numbers are all set to 0 - need to be counted up

## User Test 14

*Prior involvement with AutSPACEs - came to focus groups and meet-ups.*

User test was partially completed

### Suggestions for improvements

* Change "Aspberger's Syndrome" wording as term should not be used any more

### User Journeys

1. Browse to AutSPACEs and explore as you like: What do you think the goal and purpose of AutSPACEs is?

* Goes to “what is autism” page initially
* Asperger’s syndrome should not be used any more
* Hard problem, as some people self-ID as asperger’s and many other dislike it strongly
* Goes to ‘view stories” page
* Likes trigger label options
* Goes to “about autspaces”
* “See it as a story sharing platform”
* “3 main goals according to this” - COMMENT BGT: I feel we sometimes use 4, should be consistent
* Likes being able to see all details on how to use, data etc. before having to log in.

### Please can you change the kinds of experiences you see to also include mental health issues (experience should be hidden by default for trigger warning)
Explore if people understand _why_ they don’t see it (this is not a search)

* Trigger toggle works easily
* Maybe less clear which stories are new/include triggers

### Bugs

* BUG: clicked on “How to use” and leads to registration