The Trace Usability Screening Kit (TUSK)
The Trace Usability Screening Kit (TUSK) provides a set of tools that can be used to identify some of the problems that people with disabilities might encounter in using a product.
TUSK is designed for use by product designers to screen early prototypes, uncovering major obstacles to accessibility in the early stages of product development (prior to usability testing), by consultants doing product reviews, and by educators as part of awareness training related to the types of usability problems encountered by people with functional limitations.
Contents of the Trace Usability Screening Kit:
The kit contains items that have been tested in the Trace Center's ongoing research and training. A 31-page instruction guide is included, with complete directions for conducting screening tests. Everything is packaged in a light-weight padded carrying case, with shoulder strap, ideal for traveling. Other items in the kit:
- a white noise radio headset
- custom-made low vision and color perception goggles
- splints (for eliminating wrist and finger dexterity)
- "Blah Blah" labels of various sizes (to cover up product control labels)
- speaker silencer plugs
- custom-made “limiting” gloves
- splint dowel holder
- head / mouth sticks
- high-quality blindfolds
- dark pillowcase (for hiding small products)
- Dycem(link is external) (for keeping products from sliding)
How to get
The TUSK was created by the Trace R&D Center, now at the University of Maryland, College Park. It was available from Trace for a limited time. In response to continuing requests, the Trace Center has created this page in the DeveloperSpace which describes ithe Kit and how to make one for yourself (or others) along with a copy of the manual.
Parts
Below is a list of parts. As we find them, we will also provide updated sources under each. For those that say SEARCH: just past the string into your search engine to find suppliers for each.
If you are aware of additional or better sources for any of the materials below - please use the handy feature at the bottom of the page to send us information so we can include it.
- Two blindfolds
- Any will do but recommend one that does not crush eyelashes.
- SEARCH: Mindfold Sleep and Relaxation Eye Mask
- Low vision goggles
- There are some inexpensive disposable ones that are available but you can see around them and it is easy to cheat even unintentionally
- we prefer ones made out of welding glasses with removable (screw on) lenses.
- We would place layers of polyethylene between two glass layers in each lens to get desired low vision (where you can only make out vague shapes)
- Red and green color perception goggles
- Same as low vision except using correct color filter gels (Roscolux #395 and Lee #019) in lenses
- Tunnel vision goggles
- Same as low vision except that there is a 1/4 inch hole punched in very low vision plastic so that person can only see through the small hole in the center. (need to find right place so that both eyes can see something 2 feet in front of person.
- 3 audio cut off/silencer plugs
- These are just phone plugs that are not connected to anything. When inserted into headphone jack they silence most products
- You can just find old headphones and cut off the plug at the end.
- Most products just have the standard 3.5 mm headphone jack so that may be all that you need for most products
- SEARCH:
- 3.5 mm plug
- 2.5 mm plug
- 1/4 inch plug
- 2 pairs of earplugs (NOTE: blindfolds may be packaged with additional pairs of earplugs)
- SEARCH: Disposable Ear protection earplugs
- White noise radio headset (with instructions and batteries)
- Standard work protection headset with radio built in -- and tuned to white noise between stations
- put in earplugs - then don this headset tuned to white noise. It will block/mask all environmental sound
- SEARCH: work ear protection radio headset
- 5 headsticks (with 20 extra eraser tips)
- 5/16 in wooden dowels cut 1 feet long (local hardware or hobby store)
- put an eraser on one end (e.g. SEARCH:Paper Mate Arrowhead Pink Pearl Cap Erasers)
- and put a grip on the other end (e.g. SEARCH:Soft Foam Pencil Grips)
- Splints (one left, one right) with strapping and ace bandage wrap
- SEARCH: Rolyan Hand Splint With Strapping
- SEARCH: Ace Bandage
- 1 pair limiting gloves
- Specially created gloves made as follows
- start with thick leather work gloves SEARCH: leather shop work gloves
- Sew the tip of the thumb and first fingert together (to give some but very limited grasping ability)
- cutting off and sew shut the other three fingers
- (the effect is manipulation similar to someone without the ability to use their fingers, and the inability to grasp)
- Specially created gloves made as follows
- 10 sheets of “Blah Blah” labels
- These were labels of various sizes that just said BLAH or BLAH BLAH BLAH on them.
- they are used to replace any visible text on the product - to remove the ability to read anything
- You can use any removable label stock - cut to fit the size of labels on a product - with lorem ipsum text or just squiggle to represent text.
- Splint dowel holder (with 2 dowels)
- SEARCH ON ABLEDATA.COM: Typing Aid
- Dycem (1 sheet)
- (on sheet lasts a long time. When it gets dirty and looses its stickyness - just wash with soap and water and it is good a new)
- Dark pillowcase
- Black or very dark pillow cases.
- Purchase from any store that sells bedding but you want very think ones that do not let light show through
- Instruction guide
- See below
- Padded carrying case (with shoulder strap)
- large flat soft bag with velcro padded dividers Approx 28 x 24 x 6 inches