# Instruction Comprehension Test

Observe whether representative readers can understand, sequence, execute, verify, and recover from a written procedure in a realistic environment.

## Usage note

Use this template to test a draft procedure with representative people and a safe, realistic starting state. Obtain appropriate consent and avoid production, personal, confidential, or hazardous materials. For medical, legal, financial, industrial, or safety-critical procedures, combine usability work with qualified domain review and the testing standards required for that context.

## How to use this template

1. Define the intended reader, supported environment, starting state, outcome, and critical comprehension behaviors.
2. Prepare neutral tasks, safe test data, consent, stop rules, and observation criteria.
3. Run sessions without coaching, recording actions, words, errors, help use, success recognition, and recovery.
4. Diagnose root causes and rank revisions by consequence and frequency.
5. Retest critical changes and document the approved instruction version plus maintenance triggers.

## Blank template

### Test setup

- **Instruction title and version:** [Name and date]
- **Participant profile:** [Relevant knowledge, language, and access needs]
- **Environment:** [Device, product, version, account role]
- **Starting state:** [Files, settings, or materials]
- **Task goal:** [Neutral scenario]
- **Success condition:** [Observable result]
- **Critical steps:** [Steps where error has high consequence]
- **Stop or safety rule:** [When the facilitator intervenes]
- **Consent and recording:** [Approved method]

### Observation record

- **Participant ID:** [Non-identifying code]
- **First action:** [What they do]
- **Pause or reread:** [Step and observation]
- **Incorrect path:** [Choice and likely cause]
- **Help requested:** [Question and source used]
- **Skipped prerequisite:** [What was missed]
- **Expected result recognized:** [Yes/no and explanation]
- **Recovery:** [Could the participant correct safely?]
- **Outcome:** [Complete, partial, stopped, or incorrect]

### Revision checks

- [ ] Findings distinguish words, layout, sequence, interface, and system issues.
- [ ] Facilitator coaching is recorded rather than counted as success.
- [ ] Warnings precede risky actions.
- [ ] Decision points state how to choose a path.
- [ ] Expected results reveal wrong turns early.
- [ ] Troubleshooting starts from observable symptoms.
- [ ] Critical revisions receive fresh testing.
- [ ] Version, owner, and retest triggers are documented.