Editing Think aloud protocol (section)

== Process ==
A typical procedure of think-aloud protocols would include:

* '''Design the study and write the guide:''' Determine the number and type of participant for the study. Generally 5 participants would be sufficient.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Nielson|first=Jakob|title=Why You Only Need to Test with 5 Users|url=https://www.nngroup.com/articles/why-you-only-need-to-test-with-5-users/|website=Nielsen Norman Group}}</ref> The next step is to write a guide that ask the participants to complete the tasks intended with clear step-by-step instructions. In the script, there should be reminders to participants to say their thoughts out when performing tasks.
* '''Recruit participants:''' The team should set up a screener for eligibility of participants. After contacting the person of interest and setting up meeting details such as time and location, the team could also provide additional information to help participant better prepare for the activity.
* '''Conduct think-aloud protocol:''' After stating the purpose and asking for consent, the team should proceed by giving instructions to the participant. Ask open-ended questions and follow-up questions. The team should avoid asking leading questions or giving clues. 
* '''Analyze the findings and summarize insights:''' The team should use notes taken during the sessions to generate insights and to find common patterns. Based on the findings, the design team could then decide directions to take action on.

As Kuusela and Paul<ref>{{cite journal|author=Kuusela, H., & Paul, P.|year=2000|title=A comparison of concurrent and retrospective verbal protocol analysis|journal=American Journal of Psychology|publisher=University of Illinois Press|volume=113|issue=3|pages=387–404|doi=10.2307/1423365|jstor=1423365|pmid=10997234}}</ref> state, the think-aloud protocol can be distinguished into two different types of experimental procedures. The first is the concurrent think-aloud protocol, collected during the task. The second is the retrospective think-aloud protocol, gathered after the task as the participant walks back through the steps they took previously, often prompted by a video recording of themselves. There are benefits and drawbacks to each approach, but in general a concurrent protocol may be more complete, while a retrospective protocol has less chance to interfere with task performance. Nonetheless, some concurrent protocols have not produced such interference effects,<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Byrd |first1=Nick |last2=Joseph |first2=Brianna |last3=Gongora |first3=Gabriela |last4=Sirota |first4=Miroslav |title=Tell Us What You Really Think: A Think Aloud Protocol Analysis of the Verbal Cognitive Reflection Test |journal=Journal of Intelligence |date=2023 |volume=11 |issue=4 |page=76 |doi=10.3390/jintelligence11040076 |pmid=37103261 |pmc=10146599 |doi-access=free }}</ref> suggesting that it may be possible to optimize both completeness and authenticity of verbal reports.