PIL

The University of Warwick

Department of Computer Science

Participant Information Leaflet

Introduction

Title of Project: Widget Usability

Investigators: John Doe (PhD research student) and Dr Charlie Clever (Associate Professor)

Introduction

You are invited to take part in a research study. Before you decide, you need to understand why the research is being done and what it would involve for you. Please take the time to read the following information carefully, and talk to others about the study if you wish.

Part 1 tells you the purpose of the study and what will happen to you if you take part. Part 2 gives you more detailed information about the conduct of the study.

Please ask us if there is anything that is not clear or if you would like more information. Take time to decide whether or not you are willing to take part.

Part 1

What is the study about?

Widgets are important components of modern software tools. For those tools to work effectively, widgets must be easy to use. This project gathers data from users and computer professionals to investigate how usable current Widgets are and to provide evidence to inform how to make future Widgets more usable.

Do I have to take part?

It is entirely up to you to decide. We will describe the study and go through this information sheet, which we will give you to keep.

The study contains a questionnaire and interviews.

If you choose to participate in the questionnaire, by returning a completed questionnaire, you are giving your consent for the information that you have supplied to be used anonymously in this study.

If you choose to participate in the interviews, we will ask you to sign a consent form to confirm that you have agreed to take part. You will be free to withdraw at any time, without giving a reason and this will not affect you or your circumstances in any way.

What will happen to me if I take part?

If you return a completed questionnaire to us, that will be all that will happen for that part of the study.

If you choose to be interviewed, we will arrange a mutually convenient taime and place to conduct the interview, which should take no longer that 30 minutes.

What are the possible benefits of taking part in this study?

By participating in this study you will be contributing to our understanding of Widget usability and thereby assisting future Widget developers to produce more efficient, effective and enjoyable products.

What will happen when the study ends?

Once the study is complete, anonymised copies of the data will be held securely (in a locked filing cabinet, or on an encrypted filesystem) for 10 years (as required by the University regulations) and then destroyed.

Will my taking part be kept confidential?

Yes. We will follow strict ethical and legal practice and all information about you will be handled in confidence. Further details are included in Part 2.

What if there is a problem?

Any complaint about the way you have been dealt with during the study or any possible harm that you might suffer will be addressed. Detailed information is given in Part 2.

Part 2

Who is organising and funding the study?

This study is part of John Doe's PhD research. Funding is through the University of Warwick.

What will happen if I don’t want to carry on being part of the study?

Participation in this study is entirely voluntary. Refusal to participate will not affect you in any way. If you decide to take part in the interview component of the study, you will need to sign a consent form, which states that you have given your consent to participate. If you agree to participate, you may nevertheless withdraw from the study at any time without affecting you in any way. Withdrawal from the study will not affect your place on your course or your grades in any way.

What if there is a problem?

This study is covered by the University of Warwick’s insurance and indemnity cover. If you have an issue, please contact the Director of Delivery Assurance (details as below).

[ Director of Delivery Assurance's details - check with BSREC web pages ]

Will my taking part be kept confidential?

What will happen to the results of the study?

The results will be published in John Doe's thesis and in academic papers.

Who has reviewed the study?

This study has been reviewed and given favourable opinion by the University of Warwick’s Biomedical and Scientific Research Ethics Committee (BSREC) BSREC-999999 dated 1 February 2015

What if I want more information about the study?

If you have any questions about any aspect of the study or your participation in it not answered by this participant information leaflet, please contact:

John Doe, john.doe@warwick.ac.uk, 07999 999999.

Thank you for taking the time to read this participant information leaflet.