Probcast Probabilistic Weather Forecast Usability Research
Project Summary:
One of the objectives of the weather forecast Probcast usability research was to examine how well people can extract information from a probabilistic weather forecast website. Mainstream weather-forecast websites only provide for deterministic forecasts, which give one determinant value of weather forecasts. I conducted a controlled usability research on how the general public perceives and interpret this information.
- Conducting pilot usability testing
Presented at the 12th Annual Undergraduate Research Symposium at the University of Washington in May, 2009
- My mentor, Dr. Susan Joslyn and colleague, Sam Ford
Project Objectives:
The Probcast website is the only fully probabilistic weather forecast of that time, where uncertainty information of forecasts is presented. It provides uncertainty information that gives lower and upper bounds of a forecast. I conducted usability studies, where I asked users to talk-aloud and to use screen monitoring to assess participant’s understanding of uncertainty information. Findings were presented at the 12th Annual Undergraduate Research Symposium at the University of Washington – “Probcast Usability Research” at May 2009.
Learning Objectives:
Administrated participant data collection, examined background research, collected qualitative responses from population surveys, transcribed quantifiable data, conducted talk-aloud procedures, performed data analysis, worked with computer programs such as audacity editor and Microsoft excel. I also learned how to construct a scientific research poster and further practiced seminar presentation skills.
