The disruptive effect of Think Aloud

Thinking Aloud Thinking Aloud is the most commonly used technique used to test users ́ interaction with computers. The assumption is that Think Aloud gives access to what goes on in the users ́ minds. However, interfaces are multi modal and play heavily on user ́s visual perception. Reflecting upon Think Aloud (TA), we ask the question: what happens when users are required to verbalise their visual perceptions and interactions? We argue that TA may have a disruptive effect, suggesting that other techniques be considered. With a theoretical distinction between focal and subsidiary awareness and a focus on the sense making process, we develop a frame for test of user ́s visual interaction which rely on the coordination between hand/mouse and eye/cursor. Ericsson and Simon [6] discuss the use of introspective data in the study of task directed cognitive behaviour. Their understanding is that most performance measure rely on some kind of verbal data and they argue that a sentence is the verbal realisation of thought. They assume we can verbalise what we are learning while in the process of learning and we can verbalise what we know if questioned shortly after the process has taken place. Because it is still retained in our Short Term Memory (STM). However, if there is a time span before recall, we have to rely on our Long Term Memory, and we will produce descriptions and explanations – not report our immediate thoughts. In their classic text on protocol analysis from 1984, they distinguish between three kinds of cognitive processes: 1) Talk aloud is a vocalisation of thoughts which are already coded in verbal form (internal speech), and accessible in STM, 2) Think aloud is verbalisations of thoughts also held in STM, but coded in other forms, e.g. visually and 3) Retrospective reports are verbalisations of thoughts not held in STM, e.g. descriptions and explanations. Retrospection is similar to thinking aloud, but more error prone in comparison to what the user actually did and saw because it is descriptions, or recall from long term memory. Author