Miranda
Galadriel
Capra

About

UX Articles

Resume

Quilts

Banner

Kites



Miranda

Galadriel

Flory

Capra



Contact

Does your usability lab need a one-way mirror?


When HumanCentric moved into our new building in 2008, I was part of the team that designed our usability lab. One-way mirrors were an essential part of the design of the rooms. However, when our UK Partner in the International UX Partners, Amberlight, redesigned their usability lab in 2008, they didn't use any mirrors, and our German partner, UID, also has a usability lab without mirrors. This article will help you decide if you need one or not.

If you decide to install a one-way mirror, you should read my article, How to build a one-way mirror.

What is a one-way mirror?

It's glass that has been coated with a thin layer of metal so that it's reflective, like a mirror. It's called a one-way mirror because in one direction it's a mirror, but in the other direction it's a window. There's some debate about the proper name. Many people call it a two-way mirror because either side can be used as a mirror by changing which room is lit and which room is dark. They're commonly used in usability labs and focus group rooms, but also in police lineup and interrogation rooms, observation rooms for day care facilities, and to hide a television in your home when not in use.


Advantages of a one-way mirror


Advantages of no mirror


Do you have to have a one-way mirror?

No, you do not have to have it.

At HumanCentric we had it because we wanted to show it off to clients, and because we did a lot of evaluations of physical products, some that were really large. Our European consulting partners never use them because space is too precious, and some of the buildings they work in are really old.

When I set up our lab at BB&T we used video streaming instead of a mirror because space was at a premium and our rooms needed to be flexible. Also, we did mostly software and mobile evaluations, and it was too expensive for the benefit. We have a 60" TV in our observation room, and everyone loves to come watch sessions because they have a lot of fun in the observation room - you could never do that with a mirror for fear of noise issues.

If you decide to install a one-way mirror, you should read my article, How to build a one-way mirror.